2015 President’s Frontier Award Recipient & Finalists

An associate professor in the Whiting School of Engineering’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Dr. Gerecht has identified ways to control the fate of stem cells, which are the most fundamental building blocks of tissues and organs. She has coaxed them to form complex blood vessels—for the first time growing vessels in a synthetic material—that can feed the generation of new organs like the heart. Gerecht has also studied how to stifle their growth to starve cancer cells and inhibit metastasis.

"Sharon embodies the best traditions of Johns Hopkins research: vision, collaboration, and tireless pursuit of discovery," President Ron Daniels says. "This award reflects our commitment to her work and the advances she is poised to make in the field of stem cell research."