Steven R. Little

Steven R. Little
Little in 2019
Born (1977-12-11) December 11, 1977 (age 47)
Alma materYoungstown State University (BS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsControlled release, Pharmaceutical science, Drug delivery systems, Immunotherapies, Biomaterials, Regenerative medicine
InstitutionsUniversity of Pittsburgh
Doctoral advisorRobert Langer
Websitewww.littlelab.pitt.edu

Steven R. Little (born 1977) is an American chemical engineer and pharmaceutical scientist. He currently holds the title of department chair, distinguished professor, and George M. and Eva M. Bevier Endowed Chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. He also holds secondary appointments in bioengineering, pharmaceutical sciences, immunology, ophthalmology and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

Education

Little received his BS in chemical engineering from Youngstown State University, and PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studying under Institute Professor Robert S. Langer. His dissertation was “Poly(β-Amino Ester)s as pH Sensitive Biomaterials for Microparticulate Genetic Vaccine Delivery.”[1]

Research

Following his PhD in 2005, Little joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh John A. Swanson School of Engineering in 2006 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to the rank of associate professor as well as chair of the department of chemical engineering in 2012; William Kepler Whiteford Endowed Professor in 2015; and distinguished professor by Chancellor Patrick Gallagher in 2021.[2] In 2024 he was appointed the Swanson School's George M. and Eva M. Bevier Endowed Chair.[3]

His research focuses on therapies that are biomimetic and replicate the biological function and interactions of living entities using synthetic systems. Areas of study include bioengineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, ophthalmology, and immunology, and the health issues addressed include autoimmune disease, battlefield wounds, cancer, HIV, Type I Diabetes, ocular disease, and organ transplantation.

He is the Principal Investigator of Little Lab, housed in Benedum Hall of Engineering, and the co-founder of Qrono Inc.,[4] a pharmaceutical startup company based in Pittsburgh and focused on next generation cancer treatments.[5]

Awards and honors

Little was elected as a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society in 2015;[6] the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2016;[7] and the American Association for the Advancement of Science[8] and National Academy of Inventors[9] in 2021. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) elected him as Fellow in 2022,[10] and Little was among eight members of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) selected for elevation to Fellow status in 2024.[11]

He was elected to the board of directors of the Society for Biomaterials and served in that role from 2013-2015.[12] In June 2018 the Controlled Release Society appointed Little to its board as a director-at-large through 2021.[13]

In 2012, the Society for Biomaterials named Little as the recipient of its Young Investigator Award[14] and in 2018 the Controlled Release Society named Little the recipient of its Young Investigator Award.[15][16] The Controlled Release Society in 2020 elected Little to its College of Fellows[17] and followed in 2021 by presenting Little with its Distinguished Service Award.[18] Little has received over 40 national and international awards including:

His teaching awards include the University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award[30] and a Carnegie Science Award for Post-Secondary Education.[31] Community recognition includes Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40,[32] named a “Fast Tracker” by the Pittsburgh Business Times,[33] and one of five individuals in Pittsburgh who are “reshaping our world” by Pop City Media.

Humanitarian causes

Little serves on the board of directors for EduNations,[34] an organization that establishes educational infrastructure by building schools, training teachers and providing children with free education in Sierra Leone, Africa.

References

  1. ^ "Poly ([beta]-amino ester)s as pH sensitive biomaterials for microparticulate genetic vaccine delivery". DSpace@MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  2. ^ Kovach, Paul. "University of Pittsburgh Appoints Steven Little as Distinguished Professor". Swanson School of Engineering Virtual Newsroom. Swanson School of Engineering. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Pitt Appoints Distinguished Professor Steven Little as the Bevier Endowed Chair". news.engineering.pitt.edu. Swanson School of Engineering. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Leadership Team". Qrono Inc. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Qrono Inc - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  6. ^ "BMES List of Fellows". BMES.org.
  7. ^ Little, Steven. "AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2016". AIMBE. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  8. ^ "2021 AAAS Fellows". aaas.org. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Congratulations 2021 Class of Fellows" (PDF). academyofinventors.org. National Academy of Inventors. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Dr. Steve Little Among Newest Class of AAAS Fellows". MIRM. McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  11. ^ Stauffer, Rebecca. "AAPS Elevates Eight Members to Fellow Status". AAPS.org. American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  12. ^ "2016 SFB Elections: Biographies". Society for Biomaterials. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. ^ "2018-2019 Board Announced". Controlled Release Society. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Awards and Recognition of Advancements in the Field of Biomaterials". Society for Biomaterials. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Steven Little Honored with Controlled Release Society's Young Investigator Award". University of Pittsburgh. Pittwire. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Young Investigator Award Recipients". Controlled Release Society. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  17. ^ "2020 College of Fellows". Controlled Release Society. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  18. ^ "2021 Awards Announced". Controlled Release Society. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  19. ^ Little, Steven. "Beckman Young Investigators". Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Coulter Translational Research Awardees Announced". RegenerativeMedicine.net. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  21. ^ "Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program" (PDF). dreyfus.org. Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Chancellor's faculty awards announced". University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Grants Database, RPB Grant Awards from 2010-2017 matching Little, Steven R / PhD". RPBUSA. Research to Prevent Blindness. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  24. ^ Coyne, Justine (Jan 30, 2015). "Carnegie Science Center Awards recognize business, education leaders". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Awardees 1997 - 2017" (PDF). Carnegie Science Center. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  26. ^ "Engineering Research Council, Curtis W. McGraw Research Award". American Society for Engineering Education. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  27. ^ Satyanarayana, Megha (February 10, 2015). "Newsmaker: Steven Little". Tribune-Review. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  28. ^ "Young Investigator Award Recipients". Controlled Release Society. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  29. ^ "The Crucible Newsletter, Volume CIV, No. 3" (PDF). ACS Pittsburgh Section. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Chancellor Nordenberg Names Winners of Distinguished Teaching, Research, and Public Service Awards" (PDF). Pitt Chronicle. University of Pittsburgh.
  31. ^ "2013 Carnegie Science Awards winners to be recognized". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 31, 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  32. ^ "2014 40 Under 40 Awards". Pittsburgh Magazine. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  33. ^ Mamula, Kris (July 1, 2015). "Fast Tracker: Steve Little, University of Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  34. ^ "EduNations Board of Directors". edunations.org. Retrieved 20 June 2018.