Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE

Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, is the Drosdick Endowed Dean of Villanova University's College of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering. In this role, Dr. Marcolongo provides vision and leadership for the college's long-term strategic and academic goals, and she is committed to enhancing both faculty research and teaching innovation.

Dr. Marcolongo's research focuses on biomaterials and engineered biomedical solutions to treat disease. She was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and her research has been funded by top agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the US Department of Defense and the US Department of Education. Dr. Marcolongo serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research and Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine, and is the founding president of the Philadelphia Spine Research Society.

In addition to her extensive work in academia, Dr. Marcolongo is a successful entrepreneur who has co-founded three biomedical technology startup companies and is a co-holder of 15 patents/patent applications. Inspired by her experiences in academia and entrepreneurship, she authored a book, Academic Entrepreneurship: How to Bring Your Scientific Product to a Commercial Discovery, which serves as a how-to guide for academic faculty, graduate students and postdoctorals on translating research from the lab to commercialization.