Melissa GRUNLAN

Dr. Melissa Grunlan

Department of Biomedical Engineering
Texas A&M University
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About Dr. Melissa Grunlan

Dr. Melissa Grunlan is the Charles H. and Bettye Barclay Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU). She holds courtesy appointments in the Departments of Materials Science & Engineering and Chemistry.

After completing her B.S and M.S., Dr. Grunlan was employed at the H.B. Fuller Company (St. Paul, MN) for four years where she held titles of Chemist and then Senior Chemist. Next, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. Following a post-doc in the Department of Chemistry (TAMU), Dr. Grunlan was hired as an Assistant Professor [2005]. She was awarded tenure at promoted to Associate Professor [2011], and then promoted to Full Professor [2017].

For the last 18 years, Dr. Grunlan has built an internationally-recognized research program focused on the development of polymeric biomaterials for medical devices as well as environmentally-friendly coatings. Her technologies include shape memory polymer bone scaffolds, synthetic cartilage, osteochondral implants, self-cleaning biosensor membranes, and antifouling silicones. Dr. Grunlan has received numerous awards from TAMU, including the prestigious Presidential Impact Fellow, and Chancellor EDGES Fellow. She is Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the ACS PMSE Division, and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). She is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Dr. Grunlan served as Chair of the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials Science & Engineering. She was a standing member of the NIH Biotechnology and Surgical Sciences (BTSS) Study Section from 2019 – 2023. Dr. Grunlan is an Associate Editor of ACS Macro Letters. Her research has been reported in 104 peer-reviewed publications, and she holds 4 issued patents. Dr. Grunlan’s research has been sponsored by the NIH, NSF, DoD laboratories, and several companies.