William R. Wagner appointed Berenfield Endowed Chair of Bioengineering
William R. Wagner, Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, was recently appointed by Chancellor Joan Gabel as the Berenfield Endowed Chair of Bioengineering in the Swanson School of Engineering.
Wagner served as Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine from 2012 to 2023 and has secondary appointments in the departments of Surgery and Chemical & Petroleum Engineering. Wagner’s research focuses on cardiovascular engineering with projects that address medical device biocompatibility and design, biomaterial development, and tissue engineering, and a primary focus of his work is advancing biomaterials science to improve the lives of those suffering from heart disease.
“For many decades Pitt has been a pioneer in integrating medicine and engineering in the area of cardiovascular health.” Wagner said. “It’s a great honor to be the first to hold this appointment, and I am particularly excited to see how the vision for this generous gift aligns with our laboratory's mission.”
The Berenfield Endowed Chair of Bioengineering, established by the department of bioengineering in memory of Leonard H. Berenfield, BSME ’64, is funded through the generous philanthropy of the Berenfield family. Berenfield, a distinguished alumnus of the department of mechanical engineering and materials science, was passionate about research efforts in pediatric cardiology and cardiopulmonary regenerative medicine in the department of bioengineering.
As chair, Wagner’s research will have a significant impact on the clinical management of patients suffering from various cardiovascular diseases and allow bioengineering graduate student trainees to advance their careers in cardiovascular research in his laboratory.
“This is one of the highest honors that a university could bestow upon its faculty, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Dr. Wagner.” said Bioengineering Department Chair and Distinguished Professor Sanjeev Shroff. “This appointment recognizes the exceptional quality of Bill’s research efforts that link biomaterials to cardiovascular device design and tissue engineering, especially in the context of pediatric applications.”
About Leonard H. Berenfield
Leonard H. Berenfield received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964. Berenfield was President and CEO of Berenfield Containers, Inc., which manufactured steel and fiber shipping containers. The company was established in Pittsburgh by his grandfather. Berenfield took over the family business in 1965 and retired in 2016. Berenfield was active in many civic and community organizations. He received the Baierl Distinguished Service Alumni Award from the Pitt Alumni Association in 2016. The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science named Berenfield a Distinguished Alumnus in 2018.