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Pierre Galletti Award

Nominations for the 2025 AIMBE Pierre Galletti Award are now closed.

The Pierre Galletti Award was established in 1999 by the AIMBE Board of Directors to honor its Founding Member and Past President. The Galletti Award is the highest honor that AIMBE bestows on an individual.

Pierre Galletti passed away on March 8, 1997, having left his mark on the emerging field of biomedical engineering. He was a pioneering researcher who made impactful contributions in several fields, such as heart-lung bypass, artificial organ development, and tissue engineering. As a dedicated teacher and mentor, he not only provided leadership in the establishment of the medical school at Brown University, but also helped start Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. He was the consummate biomedical engineer, a person of great vision, a man for all seasons.

Competitive nominations for the Galletti Award shall demonstrate a career-long, sustained effort to:

  • Lead breakthrough research and/or translational work that pioneered an important area of medical and biological engineering and/or established a new discipline within the field (70 pts)
    • Example: Developed significant innovations that improve health and/or reduce healthcare costs
  • Serve the medical and biological engineering community and society, and/or support the diversity, equity and inclusion in the field (30 pts)

Both nominators and nominees must be AIMBE Fellows and in good standing in the organization. No current officer, director, or member of the Board of Directors including Ex Officio Members may be nominated during their tenure. Nominators must submit:

  • A 2-page description of the candidate’s contributions meriting the Award
  • Nominee’s CV (5 pages max) that highlights accomplishments that are relevant to the Award, including the following:
    • Impact on the field
    • Service to the medical and biological community and society, and/or support of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field
  • Up to 3 letters of support (minimum two letters are required)

Nomination material should provide specific metrics to support the candidate’s impact (personal anecdotes will not be considered). The letters of support must be from individuals with direct knowledge of the impact for which the candidate is nominated and must be from individuals other than the nominator.

2024 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

David J. Mooney, Ph.D.

For his national leadership and service in the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering and his leadership in improving the culture and environment of the medical and biological engineering community.

2023 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Christine E. Schmidt, Ph.D.

For her national leadership in developing and translating technology to help patients while also advocating for the discipline and working tirelessly to make the field more inclusive and equitable.

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2022 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

 Emery N. Brown, MD, Ph.D.

For significant contributions to neuroscience data analysis and for characterizing the neurophysiology of anesthesia-induced unconsciousness and demonstrating how it can be reliably monitored in real time using electroencephalogram recordings.

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2021 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D.

For impactful innovations in technologies to generate, understand, and utilize functional human tissues, especially in regenerative engineering, studies of development and disease, while inspiring the next generation of practitioners.

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2019 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

James J. Collins, Ph.D.

For his national leadership and service in creating and advancing the field of synthetic biology and for raising public awareness of synthetic biology and biological engineering through extensive outreach activities.

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2018 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Raphael C. Lee, M.D., Sc.D.

For national and international leadership in the shaping of science and technology policy, and for fundamental advances toward understanding the molecular biomechanics of traumatic injury.

2017 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Gilda Barabino, Ph.D.

For long-standing, consistent and systematic vision, leadership and accomplishments in the creation of inclusion in medical and biological engineering and for excellence in research in sickle cell disease and cartilage engineering.

2016 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Ph.D.

For global leadership and exceptional innovation in creating the discipline of global health engineering and pioneering engineering solutions to save countless maternal, newborn and vulnerable lives in resource limited settings.

2015 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Scott Bruder, M.D., Ph.D.

For seminal contributions to the advancement of human health through research and commercialization of biotech, medical device and diagnostic products, and a unique manner of bridging industry and academic expertise to influence biomedical education training programs and the public policies required to support success of these bench-to-bedside endeavors.

2014 Pierre Galletti Award Dual Recipient

Warren S. Grundfest, M.D.

For seminal contributions as a surgeon, inventor, and educator, Dr. Grundfest has demonstrated that minimally invasive technology can improve healthcare delivery while lowering healthcare costs. Through activities with AIMBE, TATRC, NIH, FDA, SPIE, IEEE, OSA, and other medical societies, he has promoted the critical role of medical and biological engineering in healthcare advances.

2014 Pierre Galletti Award Dual Recipient

Kenneth R. Lutchen, Ph.D.

For seminal contributions to quantitative understanding and treatment of respiratory disease, providing a role model for national growth of the biomedical engineering discipline, mentoring a generation of students, elevating the stature and visibility of AIMBE with key federal agencies and lawmakers, and promoting public awareness of the field through national engineering school and professional society leadership.

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2013 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Roderic I. Pettigrew, M.D., Ph.D.

For impactful contributions to public awareness of medical and biological engineering and the promotion of the national interest in science, engineering and education in his role as Director of NIBIB and for cutting-edge research in cardiovascular radiology diagnostic and treatment strategies.

2012 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Arthur J. Coury, Ph.D.

For seminal contributions to the design and commercialization of pacemakers, biodegradable biomaterials, and implantable devices, and for leadership in medical and biological engineering and public policy issues.

2011 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Buddy Ratner, Ph.D.

In recognition of enduring pioneering contributions and inspired leadership in biomaterials science, exceptional mentorship, and tireless promotion of public awareness and national interest in biomedical engineering research and education.

2010 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Edward Merrill, Ph.D.

For seminal contributions to biomaterials, medical devices and artifi cial organs and for his visionary leadership of biomedical education and research over the last 60 years.

2009 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.

For seminal contributions to tissue engineering and leadership in international biomedical engineering.

2008 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Nicholas Peppas, Sc.D.

For seminal contributions and visionary leadership in biomaterials science and engineering, and for pioneering work on drug delivery that has led to numerous biomedical products and devices.

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2007 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Douglas A. Lauffenburger, Ph.D.

For training a generation of bioengineering faculty, establishing an innovative Biological Engineering program at MIT, writing a seminal text on receptors and exemplary service to Bioengineering Societies.

2006 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Peter G. Katona, Sc.D.

For outstanding leadership in bioengineering and education, helping to establish numerous bioengineering departments in universities across the country, and seminal research on the control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

2004 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Shu Chien, M.D., Ph.D.

For pioneering research and outstanding leadership in the bioengineering field and for transforming the bioengineering program at the University of California San Diego into one of the best in the country.

2002 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Robert M. Nerem, Ph.D.

For tireless promotion of biomedical engineering, numerous contributions to hemodynamics and cardiovascular-tissue engineering, and playing a crucial role in establishing AIMBE and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

2001 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

John T. Watson, Ph.D.

For continuous advocacy of bioengineering which led to increased public awareness of the field and the formation of the Bioengineering Consortium and pivotal work on cardiovascular devices.

2000 Pierre Galletti Award Recipient

Robert S. Langer, Sc.D.

For innovative and seminal contributions to biomaterials science and tissue engineering, inspiring and training a generation of bioengineers, and exhaustive work in raising public awareness of bioengineering.