Professor Ke Cheng, Associate Editor of BAM, Wins 2025 Clemson Award for Applied Research
Published 22 April, 2025
At the 2025 annual meeting of the Society For Biomaterials held today, Professor Ke Cheng—Associate Editor of Bioactive Materials and the Alan L. Kaganov Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University—was awarded the 2025 Clemson Award for Applied Research. Professor Cheng becomes the eighth Chinese scientist to receive this honor, following Joyce Wong (2020), Rocky Tuan (2016, former President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Academician Xingdong Zhang (2015), Peter Ma (2013), Academician Kam Leong (2012), Academician Renke Li (2001), and T. M. S. Chang (1980, recipient of the Order of Canada). This achievement highlights his outstanding contributions to translational research in biomaterials and reaffirms the continuous leadership of Chinese scholars in the global field of biomedical engineering.
Biography of Professor Ke Cheng
Professor Ke Cheng currently serves as the Alan L. Kaganov Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE), the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and the American Heart Association (AHA). He previously chaired the NIH Study Section on Biomaterials and Biointerfaces (2022–2024) and held the Randall T. Terry Distinguished Chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-North Carolina State University, serving as Executive Director of Interdisciplinary Initiatives in the Provost’s Office.
His research spans biomaterials, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and extracellular vesicles. As a co-founder of the American Association of Extracellular Vesicles, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of Extracellular Vesicle (Elsevier) and Associate Editor of Bioactive Materials. Professor Cheng has received numerous international honors, including the Wallace H. Coulter Medical Innovation Award from BMES, and has been consecutively named a Clarivate "Highly Cited Researcher."
The Clemson Awards: A Pinnacle in Biomaterials
Established by the Society For Biomaterials, the Clemson Awards are among the most historic and influential international honors in the global biomaterials field, and the earliest scientific awards in this discipline. Since its inception in 1973, over 150 top scholars have been recognized, including iconic figures such as Robert S. Langer, Nicholas A. Peppas, Teruo Okano, James M. Anderson, Allan S. Hoffman, Klaas de Groot, and Cato T. Laurencin.
The awards comprise three subcategories: Basic Research, Applied Research, and Literature Contribution. The Clemson Award for Applied Research specifically honors scientists who have successfully translated basic science into clinical or industrial practice, driving significant impact in medical devices, advanced therapeutics, or technological applications. Awarded works often demonstrate notable clinical efficacy in disease treatment and broad potential for dissemination. As a centerpiece of the Society’s annual meeting, the Clemson Awards ceremony has become a landmark event in the international biomaterials community.
Introduction to the Official Society For Biomaterials Website and Previous Award Winners：
https://biomaterials.org/awards/past-awardees
