Dr. Wenxin Wang, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Lecturer in Functional Biomaterials at the National University of Ireland Galway won the SFI Prize in Regenerative Medicine at the TERMIS-EU 2010 conference which was held in Galway last week.
The SFI Award in Regenerative Medicine was presented to Dr. Wang as he has demonstrated outstanding achievements within the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine field. The International Advisory Panel that selected the candidate based the award on the impact of the research outputs that Dr. Wang has generated to date.
Having joined the Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB) in Galway in 2008 as a University Fellow, Dr. Wang was soon appointed as a the SFI Lecturer in Functional Biomaterials. He previously held positions as a research fellow at the University of Nottingham and gained his Ph.D. in the department of Polymer Chemistry at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.
Dr. Wang has worked both in industry and academia, making significant contributions in both these sectors. Since completing his Ph.D., he has published in more than 57 high impact refereed journal papers and has filed 10 patents. His current projects at NUI, Galway focus on synthesis of functional dendritic polymers, multifunctional nanocarriers for therapeutic biomolecular delivery, stimuli-responsive polymeric materials and hydrogels for tissue engineering. Dr. Wang is currently using these platform technologies for translation into wound healing applications such as treating wounds from individuals suffering from epidermolysis bullosa.
Speaking after the awards ceremony, Dr. Wang expressed his sincere appreciation to SFI and International Advisory Panel for this honorable recognition. He said: ‘This is a great honor and encouragement for me. I will continue to engage our multidisciplinary team at NFB and apply my expertise in polymer synthesis and functional biomaterials to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the ultimate aim being to improve the quality of life for patients. In this way, I have no doubt that I can return this honor, trust and expectation which this prestigious SFI award brings.’
Dr. Stephen Simpson, Director, Life Sciences Directorate, SFI, said ‘SFI would like to congratulate Dr. Wang on receiving this prize. The area of regenerative medicine is of great significance to Ireland and the prize is just one way in which individuals can be recognized and encouraged in developing excellence in their research.’
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