ATP-Bio Researchers Honored with Prestigious Awards at CRYO2026
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio) is proud to celebrate the recognition of two researchers whose work is advancing the future of biopreservation. Drs. Lakshya Gangwar and Li Zhan were honored with prestigious awards from the Society for Cryobiology during the CRYO2026 Annual Meeting, held at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.
Ernest G. Cravalho Award
The award recognizes the best publication from the previous year that integrates cryobiology and engineering—two disciplines central to ATP-Bio’s mission of developing advanced technologies for the preservation of living systems.
Dr. Lakshya Gangwar
Post-doctoral Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota and Scholar Trainee with NSF ERC ATP-Bio, received the inaugural Ernest G. Cravalho Award from the Society for Cryobiology. Dr. Gangwar was recognized for the publication: “Physical vitrification and nanowarming at liter-scale CPA volumes: toward organ cryopreservation” Nature Communications (2025) (link)
Dayong Gao Young Investigator Award
The aim of the award is to foster and encourage early career cryobiology researchers from all around the world who are in the first 10 years of their post-PhD career/research.
Dr. Li Zhan
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University, received the Dayong Gao Young Investigator Award from the Society for Cryobiology. Dr. Zhan’s research (link), based in part on earlier work in ATP-Bio, advances engineering-based approaches to address critical challenges in biological preservation, including technologies that support the preservation of cells, tissues, and complex biological systems.
“These awards represent the exceptional talent, innovation, and collaborative spirit within the ATP-Bio research community,” said Dr. John Bischof, ATP-Bio Director. “Lakshya and Li exemplify the next generation of researchers who are integrating engineering and cryobiology to address some of the most complex challenges in cryopreservation science. Their achievements demonstrate the impact of interdisciplinary research and the importance of training future leaders in this field.”
ATP-Bio congratulates Dr. Lakshya Gangwar and Dr. Li Zhan on these outstanding achievements and their continued contributions to advancing technologies that make living systems more accessible.