The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Engineering (TIBI) is pleased to announce their selection of Dr. Jun Chen, Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as the recipient of the 2025 Hisako Terasaki Young Innovator Award.
The Hisako Terasaki Young Innovator Award honors the legacy of Mrs. Hisako Terasaki, a philanthropist, accomplished artist, and the beloved wife of Dr. Paul I. Terasaki, a pioneer in organ transplant research and innovation. This award recognizes early-career individuals who have made significant contributions to biomedical science and demonstrate exceptional promise for continued academic excellence and the translation of high-impact innovations. It seeks to highlight groundbreaking biomedical technologies as well as devices that represent substantial advancements over current state-of-the-art solutions.
An exceptional researcher in bioengineering and materials science at UCLA, has rapidly emerged as a leader in developing technologies that bridge fundamental science and real-world applications. Dr. Chen led his research group in the discovery of the giant magnetoelastic effect in a soft polymer system (Nature Materials 2021; Front Cover; Research Highlighted by Nature; Research Highlighted by Nature Materials), later in a liquid permanent fluidic magnet (Nature Materials 2024; Nature Electronics 2024; Research Highlighted by Nature). The giant magnetoelastic effect was further coupled with magnetic induction to invent a soft magnetoelastic generator (MEG) as a fundamentally new platform technology for building up human-body-powered soft bioelectronics. The soft magnetoelastic bioelectronics are intrinsically waterproof since the magnetic fields can penetrate water with negligible intensity loss. Thus, they demonstrated stable performance in wearable and implantable manners without any encapsulation. This breakthrough has opened alternative avenues for practical human-body-centered energy, sensing, and therapeutic applications.
Dr. Jun Chen, Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, shared “I am truly honored to receive this recognition. It motivates me to continue advancing biomedical research and developing novel biotechnologies that can impact human health while inspiring and mentoring the next generation of scientists to push the boundaries of innovation.”
Professor Ali Khademhosseini, Director and CEO of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, expressed “Dr. Jun Chen embodies the dedication and passion of the next generation of scientists. His remarkable achievements and forward-thinking vision highlight the immense potential of young innovators to transform biomedical science and improve lives. It is a privilege to honor him with the Hisako Terasaki Young Innovator Award.”
Together with this announcement, TIBI also announces the selection of Dr. Cato Laurencin, Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Convergence Institute and Professor at the University of Connecticut, as the recipient of the 2025 Paul Terasaki Innovation Award. These two prestigious awards will be presented at the 3rd Annual Terasaki Innovation Summit, taking place from March 5–7, 2025, at the Terasaki Institute Research Headquarters in Woodland Hills, California.