Amol Janorkar, PhD

Biography

Amol V. Janorkar received his B.S. in chemical engineering from University of Mumbai Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in 2000 and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Clemson University in 2005. Subsequently, he did a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the Center for Engineering in Medicine with a joint appointment at the Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Shriners Hospital for Children. He joined the faculty of the Department of Biomedical Materials Science, School of Dentistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in August 2007 as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Janorkar was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor (with tenure) in July 2013 and then to the rank of Professor in July 2017. Beginning in July 2020, Dr. Janorkar was entrusted with the responsibility of being the Chairperson for the Department of Biomedical Materials Science. In his other administrative service roles, Dr. Janorkar is serving as the Professional Development Liaison for the School of Dentistry, the Chair of the UMMC Intellectual Property Committee, and the Co-Director of the NIH-funded Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR) Mentoring Academy.

With his training and experience in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering, Dr. Janorkar leads a research group that focuses on cell-biomaterial interactions to direct cell morphology and ultimate cell function. The Janorkar Lab uses chemical and physical modification of biopolymer substrates to create three-dimensional in vitro tissue models that achieve enhanced survival and biological function versus conventional cultures for liver, adipose, and bone tissue engineering. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIDCR and NIBIB), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dr. Janorkar has published over 80 journal articles and 50 conference proceedings. Dr. Janorkar and his students have made over 200 research presentations. Recognizing these research accomplishments, the University of Mississippi Medical Center has awarded Dr. Janorkar the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medallions for Research Excellence.

Dr. Janorkar served as the founding Director of School of Dentistry’s summer research program that has trained over 250 dental and undergraduate students over 15 years (2008-2023). Recognizing his contributions to dental research, he has been inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society, which rarely inducts non-dentist faculty members. Dr. Janorkar also served as the Director of the Ph.D. graduate program with focus on Biomedical Materials Science from 2016-2020. He continues to serve as the director and course faculty for several dental and graduate courses. Dr. Janorkar has mentored over 80 graduate, undergraduate, dental, and medical students and post-docs. His students have won 44 awards for outstanding research at local and national levels. Recognizing his teaching and mentoring, Dr. Janorkar was awarded the TEACH (Toward Educational Advancement in Care and Health) Prize, the highest award given to an educator by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He has also been inducted into the Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence and the UMMC Academy for Excellence in Education (AEE). Dr. Janorkar currently serves as the President of the AEE.

Dr. Janorkar is a senior member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and an active member of the Society for Biomaterials (SFB) and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR).

Education

Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments

Honors, Awards, and Recognition