Sharon Gerecht Named Chair of Biomedical Engineering at Duke

Sharon Gerecht has been appointed chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering. An internationally recognized pioneer in stem cell and vascular biology, Gerecht will lead the nation’s oldest and one of its highest ranked biomedical engineering departments through June 2027.

“After speaking with most every faculty and staff member in the department, and many of its students, there was broad consensus about who should lead our BME department’s next chapter of innovation,” said Jerome Lynch, the Vinik Dean of Engineering at Duke. “Having worked closely with Sharon over the past few years, I know that she will bring a wealth of new ideas and contagious energy to the department.”

Gerecht joined Duke Engineering at the start of 2022 having previously been the Edward J. Schaeffer Professor of Engineering and director of the Institute for NanoBio Technology at Johns Hopkins University. An internationally recognized pioneer in stem cell and vascular biology, her research centers on understanding how the tissue’s microenvironment regulates its response, with the long-term goal of developing countermeasures and therapeutics. Her lab simulates mechanical and physical stressors to understand tissue function, reliance and homeostasis, uncovering pathways in injury, aging and disease to guide tissue healing and regeneration. The broad impact of her pioneering work on the field of medicine has been immense, culminating in her election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019. 

Shortly after joining Duke Engineering, Gerecht was named the Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and accepted the position of associate dean for research and infrastructure. Over the past two years, she has implemented a bold vision for elevating Duke Engineering’s research programs. She has also shepherded the school’s new strategic investments made under the Beyond the Horizon Program, which was inspired by the Thinking BIG: Pratt 2039 visioning exercise that called for an “explore and amplify” strategy when investing in high-risk, high-reward areas.

“Arriving at Pratt more than two years ago, I realized how special Duke BME is,” Gerecht said. “With exceptional faculty, dedicated staff and top students, the department leads the nation in biomedical engineering research, innovation, education and entrepreneurship. Building on this, I am thrilled to further develop our community, support our faculty at the forefront of BME research, reinvigorate our students’ educational experience, and strengthen existing and establish new connections with alumni and industry.”

Gerecht is an elected fellow of the America Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences and the National Academy of Inventors. She is also an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and has authored more than 150 papers, book chapters and patents in her field.