On Friday February 24th, the Department of Bioengineering was honored to host the Investiture of Professor Mark Cohen, Founder Professor in Bioengineering.
This professorship, which was made possible by the Grainger Engineering Breakthroughs Initiative, supports multi- and interdisciplinary study and promotes innovative projects. Cohen was a standout candidate for this professorship, thanks in large part to his extensive experience in many different areas of the medical field.
Cohen has previously served as a leading surgeon, a clinical and translational scientist, an entrepreneur, and an educator. His work has included the development of novel therapeutics, withanolides for anticancer applications, nanoparticle drug delivery systems and more, all while contributing extensively to medical research. He is currently the Dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED) and a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering.
“Embracing Dr. Cohen as a bioengineering faculty member was simple and immediate,” said Bioengineering Department Head Mark Anastasio in his speech at the event. “He is a true innovator who uses technology to advance healthcare.”
The event highlighted not only Professor Cohen’s extensive experience and background in healthcare and bioengineering, but the future of the collaboration between the Department of Bioengineering and CI MED.
“It’s a first for us when a dean of one college is being invested as a named professor in another college,” said Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering and bioengineering professor Rashid Bashir in his speech. “We believe this is a great testament to our highly interdisciplinary, collaborative, phenomenal environment that we have here across research education. The Carle Illinois College of Medicine is itself the first of its kind, and so today’s event is also, appropriately, first of its kind.”
As the world’s first engineering-based medical school, CI MED is uniquely situated to create customized solutions and cutting-edge devices to address a wide range of medical issues. The Department of Bioengineering was key to CI MED’s development and bringing it to the University of Illinois, which makes the prospect of the two departments working more closely together particularly meaningful.
“Where we’re heading is going to be the future we build together,” said Professor Cohen in his speech. “The collaboration on this campus, the ability to really bring teams together, bring people of different backgrounds, of different thoughts together to solve real problems is really going to help the world and help our patients.”
The Department of Bioengineering is honored to have had the opportunity to invest Professor Cohen with this professorship, and looks forward to a long future of productive collaboration between the Department of Bioengineering and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.