Martine LaBerge, chair, Department of Bioengineering
The Samuel F. Hulbert Award acknowledges individuals providing outstanding support to the Department of Bioengineering. Michael J. Kern, professor of regenerative medicine and cell biology and professor of oral health sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, is a longstanding advocate for the Clemson University Department of Bioengineering. Over the past 15 years, Kern has made significant contributions to the success of multiple Clemson bioengineering faculty members and students. Contributing his expertise in mentoring and in developing and leading NIH training programs designed to foster new generations of NIH-funded scientists, he has substantially increased his involvement with BIOE over the past decade and has had a direct positive impact upon the department’s success. Kern has assisted faculty members in the Clemson-MUSC Joint Bioengineering Program in their development and research efforts and has been highly supportive of many BIOE trainees (pre- and postdoctoral) over the years.
A member of Clemson’s bioengineering department in the capacity of adjunct professor since 2011, Kern was appointed professor of the Clemson University School of Health Research in 2015. He has served as associate director for nine years and for the MUSC NIH Oral Health T32 training grant, interim PI for three years. During this time, the program has given multiple (10+) two-to-three-year fellowships to bioengineering students and postdoctoral trainees on the MUSC campus. Kern devotes numerous hours to mentoring these trainees. Additionally, he has co-mentored bioengineering department T32 participants in the MUSC Cardiovascular T32 program and for years has served on student thesis committees. The MUSC Oral Health T32 program, one of only 14 institutional dental research training programs funded by NIH, was recently renewed for five years. This initiative will continue to foster opportunities for BIOE trainees and faculty for years to come.
Kern continues to provide significant effort and support to the bioengineering department and Clemson University through the NIH COBRE South Carolina Center for Translational Research Improving Musculoskeletal Health (SC TRIMH) program, for which he serves as an executive committee member and faculty mentor. The devotion, wisdom and guidance that he has brought to the development, grant writing and executive leadership of SC TRIMH since its 2018 inception have been critical for program success. These efforts have led to funding support for four bioengineering faculty as targeted COBRE faculty members, one NIH-Funded Pilot Project Leader, and seven SC TRIMH Center Funded Pilot Project Leaders. Kern is director of the SC TRIMH Mentoring Program and devotes much time to mentoring project leaders in one-on-one sessions. He also leads institutional efforts in creating an NIH culture on campus through focused workshops and recurring NIH 101 presentations.
Kern is an outstanding research scientist, educator and leader. His long-term support of the bioengineering department and its faculty and trainees has been recognized as exceptional and exemplary.
