Dr. Frances Ligler

Bio

Frances S. Ligler is the Eppright Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University. From 2013-2022, she was the Ross Lampe Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at NC State and UNC Chapel Hill Before 2013, she was at the US Naval Research Laboratory for 28 years, during the last 18 of which she was the US Navy Senior Scientist for Biosensors and Biomaterials. She earned a BS from Furman University and both a DPhil and a DSc from Oxford University.

She has over 450 full-length publications and patents, which have led to eleven commercial biosensor products and generated an H=86 (Google Scholar). She was elected an SPIE Fellow in 2000, member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2005 (2022 winner of the Ramo Founders Award), a Fellow of AIMBE in 2011, a Fellow of AAAS in 2013, a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2016, and an Honorary Member of the Hellenic Society for Nanotechnology in Health Sciences in 2017. In 2003, she was awarded the Presidential Rank of Distinguished Senior Professional by President Bush. In 2012, she was awarded the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Senior Professional by President Obama. In 2014 and 2018, she was awarded honorary doctorates from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece and Furman University, respectively. She is a 2017 inductee of the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame, honored for her invention of portable optical biosensors.

Research Areas:

Biomedical Microdevices 

Regenerative Medicine Research Interests: microfluidics, tissue on chip, optical analytical devices, biosensors, nanotechnology

Awards:

2020, Co-Chair, Korean Academy of Science and Technology, Nano/Biosensors and Biosensing Technologies, Virtual Workshop

2018, Chair, 28th Anniversary World Congress on Biosensors, Miami

2017-2018, North Carolina State University Innovator of the Year

2017, Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Analytical Chemistry, ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry

2017, National Inventors Hall of Fame

2012, Presidential Rank of Meritorious Senior Professional, awarded by President Barack H. Obama

2005, National Academy of Engineering, Bioengineering Section, Councillor 2014-2017

2003, Presidential Rank of Distinguished Senior Professional, awarded by President George W. Bush

2003. Christopher Columbus Foundation Homeland Security Award (Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Field)

Elected Fellow: SPIE, AIMBE, AAAS, National Academy of Inventors