IARS Trustee Dr. Laura E. Niklason Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

IARS Trustee Laura E. Niklason, PhD, MD, was recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), honored for her work in cardiovascular engineering, lung regeneration, and biomedical imaging. She joins a venerated group of more than 2,000 of the world’s most accomplished engineers recognized for making outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice and education and for pioneering new frontiers in technology.

Dr. Niklason is the Nicholas Greene Professor of Anesthesiology, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Division Chief; Vice Chair, Research at Yale School of Medicine. She embodies the NAE’s aims to provide leadership and expertise with her many projects focused on engineering, technology, and improving quality of life. Her work has also been acknowledged by the National Academy of Inventors in 2014, and the National Academy of Medicine to which she was elected in 2015. Along with IARS Board Chair Emery N. Brown, MD, PhD, Dr. Niklason is a member of the esteemed group of individuals distinguished by their election to both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine.

In 2010, Time Magazine named Dr. Niklason’s work identifying the engineering of whole lung tissue that could exchange gas in vivo, as one of the top 50 most important inventions of the year. She is currently working on clinical trials to engineer blood vessels, which is the first life-sustaining engineered tissue to be studied in any Phase III trial.

The NAE’s mission is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. Dr. Niklason, and the 87 new U.S. members and 16 new international members elected to the NAE, will ensure that mission continues to be met. Their election was the result of an arduous yearlong process. The NAE will officially induct the new members during a ceremony at its 2020 annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in October.