معرفی
Bhanu Jena, Ph.D. (dr. hc. mult.) is the George E. Palade University Professor & Distinguished Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Physiology. He serves as Founder-Director of the Institute of NanoBioScience and maintains his laboratory at 5245 Scott Hall. As the only living University Professor and the second in Wayne State University's 160-year history, Dr. Jena holds one of the most prestigious academic appointments at the institution.
Dr. Jena received his B.Sc. from BJB College in Orissa, India (1975), M.Sc. in Reproductive Endocrinology from Utkal University (1978), and Ph.D. in Reproductive Endocrinology from Iowa State University (1988). Following postdoctoral training at Iowa State and Yale Universities (1988-1994), he joined Yale University as an Assistant Professor before moving to Wayne State University in 2000 as a tenured full Professor.
Dr. Jena's research centers on molecular and cellular physiology, with a groundbreaking focus on porosomes - the universal secretory machinery in cells that he discovered. His laboratory investigates how cells secrete, challenging traditional views of exocytosis. A second major research focus involves designing novel approaches, techniques, and instrumentation for biological problem-solving, including developing a force microscope capable of imaging intracellular structures at nanometer resolution in real-time.
His recent publications reveal an evolving research trajectory spanning cellular secretion mechanisms, Alzheimer's disease therapeutic approaches, cystic fibrosis treatments, antiviral strategies against enveloped viruses, and advanced microscopy techniques. This multidisciplinary work bridges fundamental cell biology with clinical applications across neuroscience, respiratory diseases, and infectious disease.
- Elected Foreign Member of the Georgian National Academy of Science
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Swebelius Cancer Research Award
- Sir. Aaron Klug Award
- ASAS Basic Biological Science Award
- Ranbaxy Basic Research in Medical Sciences Award
- Elected Foreign Member of the Korea Academy of Science & Technology
- George E. Palade Gold Medal
- Six Honorary Doctorates
With over 30 years of instructional experience, Dr. Jena teaches courses in cell biology, nanoscience/nanomedicine, physiology, endocrinology, and biochemistry. His lab receives primary funding from NIH and NSF grants. The Jena Lab continues to pioneer research on cellular nanomachines and their implications for human health, maintaining active collaborations across multiple disciplines while accepting new MS, PhD, and MD/PhD students into its research programs.
