CAB Awards

Bioactive Materials-CAB Research Excellence Awards

The Chinese Association for Biomaterials (CAB) is pleased to announce the launch of a monthly CAB webinar initiative designed to recognize and promote outstanding investigators whose research advances biomaterials science, biomedical innovation, and translational healthcare solutions.

Through this initiative, CAB aims to provide a professional platform for emerging leaders to present their work, foster scientific exchange across the biomaterials community, and strengthen connections among researchers in academia, industry, medicine, and translational science.

We invite applications and nominations for outstanding junior faculty members whose work advances biomaterials research, biomedical innovation, and translational healthcare solutions.

Award Details

CAB will select two outstanding speakers from the webinar to receive the Bioactive Materials-CAB Research Excellence Awards. Each selected awardee will receive a $500 award, with a total award pool of $1000. Selected awardees will be invited to present their research as featured speakers in the CAB Workshop if time is available.

Applicants and nominees who wish to be considered for the Bioactive Materials-CAB Research Excellence Award are encouraged to join CAB prior to application submission or nomination acceptance. Active CAB membership is required for award consideration.

Eligibility and Nomination*

• Applicants should meet the following criteria:
• Hold a junior faculty appointment at the level of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor, or an equivalent early-career independent investigator position.
• Conduct research in biomaterials science, biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, medical devices, or related areas.
• Propose a webinar topic aligned with CAB’s mission to advance biomaterials research, innovation, translation, and community engagement.
• Be available to present in the CAB webinar series during the designated webinar period.
• Hold an active CAB membership at the time of application.

*Both self-nominations and nominations by CAB members, mentors, colleagues, or institutional leaders are welcome. For nominations submitted by another individual, the nominee should be aware of and agree to participate in the webinar series if selected.

Webinar Theme

The CAB webinar series will feature research aligned with the theme:

Shaping the Living Blueprint through Advanced Biomaterials

We welcome presentations addressing cutting-edge advances in biomaterials science, translation of basic research into clinical or industrial applications, and innovative healthcare solutions. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Biomaterials for Tissue engineering & Regenerative medicine
• Implants and medical devices
• Biomaterial design, fabrication, and characterization
• Drug delivery, immunoengineering, and cell-material interactions
• Engineering tissues, organoids, and disease models
• Clinical, industrial, and entrepreneurial translation of biomaterials technologies
• AI/ML driven biomaterial design or applications

Consistent with CAB’s commitment to scientific excellence, collaboration, and inclusion, we strongly encourage applications from investigators representing diverse backgrounds, geographic regions, institution types, research perspectives, and groups historically underrepresented.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by the CAB organizing committee based on the following criteria:

• Scientific merit and originality of the proposed presentation
• Alignment with the CAB webinar theme and biomaterials research priorities
• Potential impact on biomaterials science, healthcare innovation, or clinical/industrial translation
• Clarity and significance of the proposed webinar topic
• Applicant’s record of scholarly achievement and promise as an emerging leader
• Contribution to the diversity of topics, perspectives, institutions, and backgrounds represented in the webinar series

Proposed Timeline

Call for Applications: Jul-Oct 2026

CAB will circulate this announcement through the CAB network and broader biomaterials and biomedical engineering communities. Applications and nominations must be submitted by October 31, 2026.

Review and Selection: Oct-Nov 2026

The CAB organizing committee will review applications based on scientific merit, originality, alignment with the webinar theme, and potential impact on biomaterials research and translation.

CAB monthly Webinar Series: Fall 2026

Selected awardees will present their work in the CAB monthly webinar series. Each webinar will provide a platform for scientific exchange, networking, and visibility for early-career investigators in the biomaterials community.

Application/Nomination Materials:

Interested Assistant Professors and Associate Professors should submit a brief application package that includes:

1. Current curriculum vitae (10 pages)

2. Proposed presentation title

3. Brief abstract describing the webinar presentation and its relevance to advanced biomaterials, tissue engineering, clinical translation, or related areas

4. A recent photo of the presenter

Submission Contact

Please send application materials to the CAB organizing committee through:

Dr. Ke Huang

Texas A&M University

kehuang@tamu.edu

Organizing Team

This CAB webinar initiative is organized by:

Yi Hong, University of Texas at Arlington

Ke Huang, Texas A&M University

Aijun Wang, University of California, Davis

Cunjiang Yu, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Guohao Dai, Northeastern University

Ying Mei, Clemson University

Bin Duan, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Feng Zhao, Texas A&M University

Zhen Ma, Syracuse University

The Chinese Association for Biomaterials (CAB) invites nominations for the following 2027 CAB Awards:

CAB Global Biomaterials Leadership Award
Recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions and demonstrated global leadership in the field of biomaterials research and translation. The winner receives a cash honorarium of $1000 and a trophy. No more than two awards are given each year.

Bioactive Materials CAB Impact Award
Recognizes senior investigators who have made significant and sustained contributions to the field of biomaterials or closely related areas and service to CAB and the biomaterials community. The winner receives a cash honorarium of $750. No more than two awards are given each year.

• Hold the academic rank of Full Professor or an equivalent senior independent investigator position.

• Have published at least one paper in Bioactive Materials; or have a manuscript currently submitted to, under review by, or accepted for publication in Bioactive Materials.

CAB Distinguished Leadership and Service Award
Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and exceptional services to the CAB community.

CAB Trainee/Young/Mid-Career Investigator Awards
Recognize individuals who have demonstrated significant achievements in the field of biomaterials research. No more than two awards are given each year for each of the three categories.

• The candidates for the CAB Trainee Award must be within 4 years of receipt of PhD degree and should not exceed the rank of Post-doctoral Fellow or equivalent.

• The candidates for the CAB Young Investigator Award must be within 10 years of receipt of PhD degree and should not exceed the rank of Assistant Professor or equivalent.

• The candidates for the CAB Mid-Career Investigator Award must carry a rank higher than Assistant Professor or equivalent and should not exceed the rank of Associate Professor or equivalent.

Bioactive Materials-CAB Research Excellence Awards

• Recognize outstanding junior faculty members.

• Detailed eligibility criteria and nomination instructions will be provided in a separate award announcement. For additional information, please contact Dr. Ke Huang (kehuang@tamu.edu).

• May not be nominated simultaneously for a CAB Young Investigator or Mid-Career Investigator Award.

CAB membership is required to receive these awards, with the exception of the CAB Global Biomaterials Leadership Award. Nominations for nominees who are not a CAB member by the nomination deadline will not be considered. To become a CAB member, please go to this CAB webpage.

Each CAB member can nominate up to two candidates. Each nomination should include a curriculum vitae (10 pages maximum) of the nominee together with one nomination letter from the nominator.

Nomination packages should be sent to the CAB Award Committee co-chairs, Prof. Ying Mei at mei@clemson.edu and Prof. Zhen Ma at zma112@syr.edu by November 8, 2026. The awardees will be notified by e-mail. All recipients will receive a plaque and be recognized at the CAB Annual Meeting/workshop during the SFB 2027 Annual Meeting & Exposition (April 28–May 1, 2027) in Seattle, Washington State, USA.