Nicholas A. Peppas

Nicholas A. Peppas is a distinguished professor holding multiple positions across various departments at the University of Texas at Austin, including the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Pediatrics, Surgery and Perioperative Care at Dell Medical School, and Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery at the College of Pharmacy. He also holds several honorary professorships and doctorates from international institutions such as the National Technical University of Athens and the University of Santiago de Compostela.

His educational qualifications include a Sc.D. from MIT (1973) and numerous honorary degrees (Doc. Hon. Causa) from global universities. He teaches courses in biomedical engineering, drug delivery, and polymer science, reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise.

Peppas' research focuses on biomaterials, controlled drug delivery, and bionanotechnology. His group pioneered intelligent hydrogels for drug delivery, molecularly imprinted polymers for diagnostics, and bioMEMS for medical applications. Recent work emphasizes nanoparticle-mediated delivery for cancer and autoimmune diseases, alongside regenerative medicine scaffolds.

His awards span five decades, including the Warren K. Lewis Award (2021), Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2020), and over 300 academic fellowships. Peppas has advised numerous graduate students and led groundbreaking projects funded by the NIH, NSF, and industry partnerships.

He directs the Laboratory of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Bionanotechnology, which develops next-generation systems for healthcare. Current projects address challenges in targeted drug delivery, biosensing, and tissue engineering, with applications in diabetes, bone regeneration, and cancer therapy.