In recognition of her cutting-edge research and leadership in the field of biomedical engineering, Cynthia Reinhart-King has been named a University Distinguished Professor, Vanderbilt’s highest faculty distinction.
Reinhart-King, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Research in the School of
Engineering, will now have an additional primary faculty appointment in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences.
“I’m honored to receive the designation of University Distinguished Professor,” said Reinhart-King, who is a professor of biomedical engineering. “Vanderbilt’s School of Basic Sciences is a global leader in research and discovery, and I’m pleased to deepen my involvement in the groundbreaking scholarship there.”
As president-elect of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Reinhart-King is one of the most recognized and widely cited experts in the field. Her research has contributed to a new understanding of how tumors form and a broad range of effective new cancer treatments. Earlier this month, she was one of a handful of scholars invited to participate in a White House summit on the future of biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
Philippe Fauchet, the Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering, said the designation of University Distinguished Professor is uniquely suited for outstanding faculty members like Reinhart-King. “In addition to her significant research contributions, she has quickly established herself as an academic leader and mentor for numerous faculty colleagues—not just in the School of Engineering, but across the university.”
Larry Marnett, dean of the School of Basic Sciences and the Mary Geddes Stahlman Professor of Cancer Research, said Reinhart-King’s appointment helps solidify an important connection between the biological sciences and engineering.
“Vanderbilt has made great strides in recent years to bring together basic sciences researchers, physicians and engineers to collaborate on new discoveries for the prevention and treatment of complex diseases,” Marnett said. “This appointment affirms the institution’s ongoing commitment to fostering an innovative environment of multidisciplinary research.”