Bhanu P. Jena, PhD
George E. Palade University Professor Distinguished Professor Wayne State University
Bhanu P. Jena is a recognized leader in cell biology, whose discovery of the “porosome”, the universal secretory portal at the cell plasma membrane, and the molecular level understanding of its structure, function, and chemistry, has illuminated and transformed our understanding of the secretory process in cells. The porosome discovery has further enabled the treatment of diseases resulting from secretory defects, such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes and neurological disorders. His remarkable contributions in developing nanoscale thermometry and differential expansion microscopy, provides inexpensive approaches in the study of cellular structure-function and in the detection of diseases such as myopathy and cancers.
Among the honors and awards received over the years are: 2024 Lipid Science Prize from the Camurus Research Foundation, Lund, Sweden, 2015 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; Elected Foreign Member of the Georgian National Academy of Science; Fellow AAAS; Elected to the European Union Academy of Science; the Swebelius Cancer Research Award; the Hallim Distinguished Award Lecture jointly with the Prof. Ahmed H. Zewail; 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; Elected Foreign Member of the National Academy of Medicine, Romania; George E. Palade Gold Medal; elected to the Academy of Scholars at Wayne State University; six Honorary Doctorates including one from Babes-Bolyai University, Romania, jointly with Prof’s George E. Palade and Günter Blobel; and Distinguished Visiting Professorships in a number of academic institutions.