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The 2011 Acta Biomaterialia Gold Medal has been awarded to Professor Michael Sefton (IBBME, ChemE). The award recognizes excellence and leadership in biomaterials research and practical applications.

Professor Sefton is regarded as a pioneer in tissue engineering and a leader in biomaterials, biomedical engineering and regenerative medicine.

He is the first to recognize the importance of combining living cells with synthetic polymers to create “artificial” organs and tissues. Professor Sefton’s lab was also one of the first in the world that succeeded in micro-encapsulating live cells – with a view to creating an artificial pancreas and other tissues, that could then evade the patient’s immune system through the barrier properties of the encapsulating membrane.

Professor Sefton has published extensively in the world’s leading journals and international conference proceedings, and is the holder of several U.S. and international patents. He has delivered more than 400 invited lectures, seminars and keynote speeches at high-profile meetings in more than 20 countries. In addition, he has served on the editorial board of several professional journals.

“On behalf of the Faculty, I congratulate Professor Michael Sefton on this tremendous achievement,” said Dean Cristina Amon. “He continues to redefine the forefront of tissue engineering research, and we are delighted that Acta Biomaterialia is honouring Professor Sefton for his remarkable innovation and contributions in this crucial field.”

He will receive the Acta Biomateriala Gold Medal Award at a plenary session of the Society for Biomaterials’ annual meeting in April 2011 in Orlando, Fla.

For more information, please visit: www.elsevier.com/locate/actabiomat

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