"I originally got involved in nano and microtechnology when I was trying to develop methods to deliver and test anti-cancer and anti-angiogenesis molecules to animals (ultimately people). That work led to a number of controlled release products. Today we are developing targeted controlled release nanoparticles which I hope will have a profound effect on the treatment of cancer and other diseases."

Dr. Robert S. Langer received his Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University in 1970 and his Sc.D. from MIT in 1974, both in Chemical Engineering. He has written nearly 1,130 articles and has approximately 800 issued and pending patents worldwide that have been licensed or sublicensed to over 220 pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and medical device companies. He is the most cited engineer in history.

Dr. Langer served as a member of the FDA’s SCIENCE Board, their highest advisory board, from 1995-2002 and as its Chairman from 1999-2002. He has received over 200 major awards including the 2006 United States National Medal of Science; the Charles Stark Draper Prize, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for engineers; the 2008 Millennium Prize, the world’s largest technology prize; and the 2012 Priestley Medal, the highest award of the ACS. In 1998, he received the Lemelson-MIT prize, the world’s largest prize for invention for being “one of history’s most prolific inventors in medicine.” Forbes Magazine (1999) and Bio World (1990) have named Dr. Langer as one of the 25 most important individuals in biotechnology in the world. Forbes Magazine (2002) selected him as one of the 15 innovators worldwide who will reinvent our future. Time Magazine and CNN (2001) named Dr. Langer as one of the 100 most important people in America and one of the 18 top people in science or medicine in America (America’s Best). Parade Magazine (2004) selected him as one of 6 "Heroes whose research may save your life."