Although Jeffrey Karp knew from childhood that he wanted to be a medical man, it was almost pure chance that led him to the field of bioengineering.

“While studying for an exam in a coffee shop, I overheard some colleagues discussing tissue engineered organs, drug delivery and ‘artificial blood substitutes,” said Karp, now co-director of regenerative therapeutics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “I asked them what they were studying, and they told me about two graduate physiology courses called artificial blood and immobilization biotechnology, and artificial internal organs. I decided then and there to take these courses — which required me to extend my undergrad by a year and take a bunch of physiology prerequisite courses,”

Karp said the “decision drew me into the field of bioengineering and I haven’t looked back.”