Dr. Langer on Academia and Entrepreneurship

It is atypical for a scientist to draw crowds from across all of NYU’s schools – from engineering to teaching to business. Then again, Dr. Robert Langer has always been an exception to the rule.

On January 29th, prolific biomedical inventor, serial startup founder and MIT Institute Professor, Dr. Robert Langer visited NYU for a fireside chat with Frank Rimalovski, executive director of the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute. He discussed his lab and shared his thoughts on the intersection of academia and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Langer has received numerous awards, including the United States National Medal of Science, and has been named one of the most influential individuals in biotechnology. He has published over 1,000 articles and holds over 1,000 patents – a testament to the balance between academic focus and entrepreneurial thinking that is a pillar of Langer’s work.

With so many accomplishments to choose from, which is Dr. Langer most proud of?

"My students," Langer replied, “when I look at how well they’ve done, that’s what I’m proudest of."

photo by NYUEI

His world renowned Langer Lab focuses on developing biomaterials, with a strong focus on drug delivery and tissue engineering. While many of his graduates stay in academia – Langer estimates that about 300 are now professors all over the world – many also go on to become CEOs, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists.