Robert S.

Langer

Robert S. Langer
Robert Samuel Langer, Jr.

Born

August 29, 1948

Albany, New York, U.S.

Residence

United States

Fields

biomedical engineering

Institutions

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Alma mater

Cornell University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Doctoral advisor

Clark K. Colton

Other
academicadvisors

Judah Folkman

Notable students

Kristi Anseth, David Edwards (engineer), Linda Griffith, Jeffrey Karp, Ali Khademhosseini, Cato Laurencin, Robert J.
Linhardt, David J. Mooney

Knownfor

Controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering

Notable awards

Gairdner Foundation International Award (1996), Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2013)

Robert Samuel Langer, Jr. (born August 29, 1948 in Albany, New York) is an American engineer and the David
H. Koch Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was formerly the Germeshausen
Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and maintains activity in the Department of Chemical
Engineering and the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT. He is also a faculty member of the Harvard-MIT
Division of Health Sciences and Technology and the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. He is
a widely recognized and cited researcher in biotechnology, especially in the fields of drug delivery systems and
tissue engineering. According to Web of Science he has been cited nearly 90,000 times and has an h-index of 147 as
of May 1, 2013. Langer's research laboratory at MIT is the largest biomedical engineering lab in the world,
maintaining about $10 million in annual grants and over 100 researchers.[1] Langer is also currently on the board of
directors at Advanced Cell Technology.[2]

Robert S. Langer

Background and personal life

Langer was born August 29, 1948 in Albany, New York. He is an alumnus of The Milne School and received his
bachelor's degree from Cornell University in chemical engineering. He earned his Sc.D. in chemical engineering
from MIT in 1974. His dissertation was entitled "Enzymatic regeneration of ATP" and completed under the direction
of Clark K. Colton. From 19741977 he worked as a postdoctoral fellow for cancer researcher Judah Folkman at the
Children's Hospital Boston and at Harvard Medical School. Langer and his wife, Laura, a fellow MIT graduate, have
three children.

Contributions to medicine and biotechnology

Langer is widely regarded for his contributions to medicine and biotechnology.[3] He is considered a pioneer of many
new technologies, including controlled release systems and transdermal delivery systems, which allow the
administration of drugs or extraction of analytes from the body through the skin without needles or other invasive
methods. He and the researchers in his lab have also made advances in tissue engineering, such as the creation of
engineered blood vessels and vascularized engineered muscle tissue.
Langer holds more than 800 granted or pending patents.[4] He has also authored over 1,200 scientific papers and has
participated in the founding of multiple technology companies, including through Puretech Ventures, where he is the
head of the scientific board.

Recognition
He received the Dan David Prize in 2005.[5]
In 2008 he was awarded Finland's Millennium Technology Prize for developing innovative biomaterials for
controlled drug release.[6]
In 2011 he was awarded The Economist's Innovation award in the category of bioscience for his proven successes
in drug-delivery and tissue engineering.[7]
In 2013 he was awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry for conceiving and implementing advances in polymer
chemistry that provide both controlled drug-release systems and new biomaterials.
He has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science, the National Medal of Technology and
Innovation[8] the 10th Annual Heinz Award in the category of Technology, the Economy and Employment,[9] the
Charles Stark Draper Prize, the Lemelson-MIT Prize, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical
Research and the Millennium Technology Prize in 2008. He was awarded the 2012 Priestley Medal. In 2013 he was
awarded the IRI Medal alongside long-time friend George M. Whitesides. Langer is also the youngest person in
history (at 43) to be elected to all three American science academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the
National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.
Langer has honorary degrees from 20 universities from around the world: Northwestern University, Harvard
University, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Yale University, the ETH, the Technion, the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem (Israel), the Universite Catholique de Louvain (Belgium), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
Willamette University, the University of Liverpool, the University of Nottingham, Albany Medical College,
Pennsylvania State University, Uppsala University, Bates College, Boston University, Tel Aviv University(Israel),
Ben Gurion University (Israel) and the UCSF Medical Center.

Robert S. Langer

Founder of various biotech companies

Acusphere
AIR
Arsenal
BIND Biosciences
Blend Therapeutics
Enzytech (Acq. by Alkermes)
InVivo Therapeutics
Kala
Living Proof[10]
Microchips
Moderna
Momenta
Pervasis
Pulmatrix
Selecta Biosciences
Seventh Sense

Sontra Medical
Taris
Transform
T2

References
[1] Colleagues honor Langer for 30 years of innovation (http:/ / web. mit. edu/ newsoffice/ 2006/ langer. html), MIT News Office
[2] http:/ / www. advancedcell. com/ news-and-media/ press-releases/ scientific-luminary-dr-robert-langer-joins-acts-board-of-directors/ index.
asp
[3] Nature: Being Bob Langer (http:/ / www. nature. com/ news/ 2009/ 090304/ full/ 458022a. html)
[4] Langer Lab: Professor Robert Langer (http:/ / web. mit. edu/ langerlab/ langer. html)
[5] http:/ / www. dandavidprize. org/ laureates/ laureates-2005/ 66-2005-future-materials-science/ 103-prof-robert-langer. html
[6] Millennium Technology Prize: 2008 MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGY PRIZE AWARDED TO PROFESSOR ROBERT LANGER FOR
INTELLIGENT DRUG DELIVERY (http:/ / www. millenniumprize. fi/ news/ 41/ 111/
2008-Millennium-Technology-Prize-Awarded-to-Professor-Robert-Langer-for-Intelligent-Drug-Delivery/ d,news_en/ )
[7] Robert Langer: Economist Innovation Awards - Bioscience winner 2011 (http:/ / www. economistconferences. co. uk/ innovation/
bioscienceawardwinner2011)
[8] http:/ / www. boston. com/ yourcampus/ news/ mit/ 2013/ 01/ mit_professor_to_be_honored_by_president_obama. html
[9] The Heinz Awards, Robert Langer profile (http:/ / heinzawards. net/ recipients/ robert-langer)
[10] http:/ / www. boston. com/ lifestyle/ fashion/ articles/ 2009/ 04/ 02/ call_him_the_frizz_fighter/ Frizz fighter

External links
Langer Lab: Professor Robert Langer (http://web.mit.edu/langerlab/langer.html)
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090304/pdf/458022a.pdf
Dan David Prize Laureate 2005 (http://www.dandavidprize.org/index.php/laureates/laureates-2005/
66-2005-future-materials-science/103-prof-robert-langer.html)
Robert S. Langer fact sheet at MIT News Office (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/langer-facts.html)
BBC News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7448215.stm)
The Bob Langer and Polaris Company Tree From Acusphere to Momenta to Visterra (http://www.xconomy.
com/boston/2011/04/19/the-bob-langer-and-polaris-company-tree-from-acusphere-to-momenta-to-visterra/)
Controlled Release Technology (http://web.mit.edu/professional/short-programs/courses/
controlled_release_technology.html) 5-day short course at MIT with Professor Robert Langer.

Robert S. Langer

Robert Langer: Exchanges at the frontier - ABC Radio National podcast (http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/
programs/bigideas/robert-langer3a-at-the-frontier-of-biomedical-research/4537918)
Precededby
Shuji Nakamura

Millennium Technology Prize

winner
2008 (for Innovative biomaterials)

Succeededby
Michael Grtzel

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Robert S. Langer Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=564716033 Contributors: Ahoerstemeier, Akhaze, BillC, Boxedbuffalo, Causa sui, Cdc, ChemGardener, Chrisstacey1964,
Chrisvanlang, Courcelles, Cquan, Crazypaco, DavidRF, Ddprize, Duncan.Hull, Electriccatfish2, Engology, Etacar11, Explicit, Frietjes, G716, GcSwRhIc, Gcm, GlobeGores, Hemantunadkat,
Hqb, JackO'Lantern, Jaraalbe, Jeremy112233, Jimfbleak, JordanHaviland, Josinvivo, Jrcla2, Jthiegs, JudyMadnick, Karl Schalike, Kelstar, Khademh, Klemen Kocjancic, Koavf, Krushia,
LangerLab, Lucky13pjn, LuoSciOly, Magioladitis, Masterpiece2000, MaynardClark, Mlaffs, Nationalparks, Orangemike, PDH, Peltimikko, Pewahl, Physicistjedi, Polynag, Principalianedicus,
Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), Rishi.bedi, Rjwilmsi, SCEhardt, SGGH, Snowolf, Sooty85, Spencer, Tenderbuttons, Thumperward, Tsemii, Txlion, Ufinne, Wc721, Wikibioecoeros,
Wilkistudent, Willyuen, Zarex, 86 , anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Robert Langer.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Robert_Langer.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Teemu Rajala

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/