Dr. Mark Prausnitz is a distinguished leader in biomedical engineering and drug delivery systems, holding the prestigious position of Regents' Professor, Regents' Entrepreneur and J. Erskine Love, Jr. Chair in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He earned his Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Stanford University in 1988 before working briefly at ALZA Corporation on transdermal drug delivery systems. He then pursued doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the supervision of Robert S. Langer and James Weaver, receiving his PhD in chemical engineering in 1994. Dr. Prausnitz has maintained a continuous research program at Georgia Tech since completing his graduate studies, establishing himself as a world authority in innovative drug delivery technologies.
Dr. Prausnitz is internationally renowned for pioneering microneedle technology that has revolutionized transdermal drug and vaccine administration, making it possible to deliver medications painlessly through the skin without traditional hypodermic needles. His research group has developed both solid and hollow microneedle systems for applications ranging from influenza vaccination to diabetes management and ocular drug delivery for conditions like macular degeneration. With nearly 350 publications cited more than 63,000 times and an h-index of 123 as of 2025, his work represents one of the most influential bodies of research in modern drug delivery. He has also innovated in laser-activated nanoparticle delivery systems that enable intracellular delivery of therapeutic molecules, with over 70 US patents issued or pending that form the foundation for multiple commercial applications.
His exceptional contributions have been recognized with election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2023, MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 award in 1999, and the dual distinction of Regents' Professor and Regents' Entrepreneur at Georgia Tech. Dr. Prausnitz has co-founded eight startup companies including Micron Biomedical and Clearside Biomedical to translate his laboratory discoveries into real-world medical products that improve patient care globally. As director of Georgia Tech's Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery, he continues to mentor the next generation of biomedical engineers while advancing his research on self-administered vaccine patches and targeted ocular therapies. His current work on thermostable mRNA vaccine delivery systems promises to overcome critical challenges in global vaccine distribution, particularly for resource-limited settings.
