Marvin J. Slepian, MD, JD, a Regents Professor of medicine, radiology and imaging sciences and surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and of biomedical engineering at the U of A College of Engineering, received this year’s University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.
Slepian, the founder and director of the university’s Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation and a member of the BIO5 Institute, was one of 27 faculty members recognized in May for service to students, colleagues, communities and the U of A’s mission and land-grant values.
Marvin J. Slepian, MD, JD
Photo by Noelle Haro-Gomez, U of A Health Sciences Office of Communications
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award. It’s recognition and validation of all the work that we’re doing, that we’ve been doing, frankly, over my entire career, and certainly my whole career at the University of Arizona,” Slepian said. “The importance of this sort of innovation, translation and entrepreneurship goes beyond just the university to the city, state and the nation.”
Slepian’s research career has led to the development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases. His work has focused on novel biomaterials for tissue engineering, drug delivery and medical device development. His lab has developed many novel diagnostics and therapeutics approved for clinical use, such as stents, polymer paving/sealants, polymer heart valves and the total artificial heart.
Slepian is a named inventor on more than 150 issued and pending patents across a broad range of technologies. He was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors as a fellow in 2019 and appointed in 2023 to the Patent Public Advisory Committee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Ronald Marx, PhD, former interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the time the awards were presented, said Slepian’s “contributions as an inventor, physician-scientist, engineer, mentor and entrepreneur have not only transformed the fields of medicine and biomedical engineering but have also inspired generations of innovators.”
Slepian said instilling in students the importance of rolling research into practical, translational applications is critical.
“This is what industry needs, this is what society needs, to carry things forward,” he said.
Created in 2021, the annual University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award honors those who have demonstrated significant involvement in expanding the impact of research to the public good through innovation and commercialization.
By Kristen Cook, U of A Health Sciences Office of Communications
SOURCE: https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/news/honors/marvin-slepian-recognized-distinguished-faculty-award