Gerecht and Mao Take Helm of INBT BY MARY SPIRO
On January 1, 2017, leadership duties for Johns Hopkins
members who both have a remarkable track record of innovation
Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT) passed to professors
and translation.”
Sharon Gerecht and Hai-Quan Mao of the Whiting School of
Gerecht, the Kent Gordon Croft Investment Faculty Scholar,
Engineering. Gerecht now leads INBT as Director and Mao serves
is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular
as Associate Director. INBT’s outgoing Director, Peter Searson
Engineering. Her research focuses on ways to control the fate of
of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and
stem cells, which are the most fundamental building blocks of
Associate Director, Denis Wirtz, the University’s Vice Provost for
tissues and organs. She was the inaugural winner of the University
Research and Theophilus H. Smoot Professor in the Department of
President’s Frontier Award.
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, step down after 10 years; both remain at Hopkins. “Sharon and Hai-Quan embrace INBT’s original vision, which
Mao is a professor in the departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, and currently holds a joint appointment in the Translational Tissue Engineering Center
seeks to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines to
at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His research is focused on
solve problems at the interface of nanotechnology and medicine,”
engineering novel nano-structured materials for nerve regeneration and
said INBT’s founding director Peter Searson and Joseph R. and
therapeutic delivery. He won the University’s 2015 Cohen Transla-
Lynn P. Reynolds Professor. “Their contributions to multidisci-
tional Engineering Award and a 2015 University Discovery Award.
plinary research, commitment to technology transfer, and vision
“Since its inception, INBT has been a leader in cross-divisional
in educating the next generation of leaders in nanobiotechnology
research at Johns Hopkins. Under Sharon and Hai-Quan’s
made Sharon and Hai-Quan ideal candidates for the job. Denis
leadership will further the institute’s mission to advance research
and I were delighted to pass the baton to two outstanding faculty
and education at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and health.” said Whiting School dean Ed Schlesinger.
2016 Nano-Bio Report
3
