Brent Vernon
Associate Professor, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering
Brent Vernon is an associate professor in biomedical engineering in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering and director of the Center for Interventional Biomaterials at Arizona State University. He also holds affiliated faculty appointments with the School of Life Sciences interdisciplinary graduate faculty, the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, and the Neuroscience (PhD) Program at ASU. Dr. Vernon is also the Chief Science Officer at Stem Cell Implants in San Diego, working to bring cutting-edge academic research directly to clinical applications.
Dr. Vernon's research focuses on developing smart polymer systems that respond to biological environments for revolutionary medical treatments. His laboratory creates injectable materials that transform from liquids to gels inside the body, enabling precise drug delivery and minimally invasive treatments. These innovations span critical medical applications including brain aneurysm embolization, cancer therapy, and cardiac tissue engineering. A new thrust of his research involves virtual modeling of drug delivery systems to optimize therapeutic outcomes. He is also pioneering magnetic-controlled liquid embolics for endovascular embolization in collaboration with Mayo Clinic scientists.
With over 25 years of experience translating laboratory discoveries into commercial products, Dr. Vernon has co-founded multiple biotechnology companies, including ANEUVAS Technologies and Sonoran Biosciences. His work and the companies he has co-founded have generated over $15 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and industry partners.
Dr. Vernon's temperature-responsive polymers and dual-crosslinking hydrogel systems represent breakthrough technologies for treating some of medicine's most challenging problems. His materials enable surgeons to deliver drugs exactly where needed while minimizing side effects, and provide new options for treating conditions ranging from prosthetic joint infections to brain tumors.
Dr. Vernon is a key instructor for the Senior Capstone Design Program and is developing the online Capstone Design Program for the Biomedical Engineering Program. A prolific researcher with over 3,700 citations and an h-index of 34, Dr. Vernon has published 68 peer-reviewed articles and holds multiple patents in the fields of biomaterials and drug delivery. Dr. Vernon earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Utah and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Zurich. He recently completed a sabbatical at EHWA Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, where his virtual modeling expertise has generated new publications and ongoing collaborations, establishing international partnerships that continue to drive innovation in interventional biomaterials.