2020-2024 Steering Committee Candidate:

Rui Reis

Biosketch

Prof. Rui L Reis, FBSE, FTERM, FAIMBE, FEAMBES, is the Founder and the Director of the 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs – Institute for Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, and Director of ICVS/3B´s Associate Laboratory, both at University of Minho (Portugal). He is also the CEO of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine and the Global Past-President of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS). He is a recognized world expert in the TERM and biomaterials fields, and has edited several books, being an author/inventor of more than 1250 publications and around 75 patents. He co-founded several companies that raised important private investments and has received several innovation awards. He has been cited more than 55 000 (Google Scholar). Rui L. Reis is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (Wiley-Blackwell) and was the Editor in Chief of the recently published (Academic Press, 2019, in 3 volumes) Encyclopedia of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

He has been awarded several major international prizes, including among several others the Jean Leray and George Winter Awards (ESB – European Society for Biomaterials), the Clemson Award (SFB – Society for Biomaterials, USA) for contributions to the literature and both the TERMIS-EU award for contributions to the literature and the lifetime achievement award, as well as the UNESCO – International Life Sciences Award and the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) A. F. Harvey Engineering Research Prize. He was bestowed with 2 honoris causa degrees, and is an honorary Professor in major Universities in the UK, China and South Korea, as well as a member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA). He is the PI of projects with a funding of more than 100 M€ (UMinho budget above 50 M€).

Vision & Purpose:

I will be happy to serve on the Steering Committee of the International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IC-FBSE). I think I have the global (geographical, international) knowledge on ongoing biomaterials science and engineering activities, the leadership experience and the relevant contacts to help on promoting a more relevant activity of the College of Fellows.

More importantly, I trust that I have the networking experience, the relevant political skills, the respect and understanding (of and from) the different geographical areas of the globe, and of course the strategic vision to increase awareness and move forward the activities of the IC-FBSE. As a research group leader, as a previous University VP, as a prolific and well cited scientist, as an educator, as an editor, and as an entrepreneur, I have gained the respect of my peers, and I believe I can use that to help on steering well the College of Fellows.

I propose to keep the debates as a flagship activity, to increase the mentorship of young and mid-career researchers, to increase our IC-FBSE editorial promoted activities and to launch other types of sessions not only at World Congress but also at the different societies that compose the Union.

We as a College of leaders in the field, should also support initiatives on emerging countries, have a more active role on converging (whenever possible) regulatory approaches in different parts of the World, and interact further with industry and should be able to attract more clinicians to our activities and meetings.