September 15, 2025
Sheila Grant and Raghuraman Kannan, two pioneering researchers and educators in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, have been named Curators’ Distinguished Professors, the highest honor bestowed by the University of Missouri System.
“Dr. Grant and Dr. Kannan exemplify the spirit of innovation and excellence that defines Mizzou Engineering,” said Mizzou Engineering Dean Marisa Chrysochoou. “Their research and dedication to mentorship have positioned them as leaders in their fields and role models for our community.”
“I am deeply honored to receive this distinction,” Grant said. “This achievement reflects the incredible support of my colleagues, students and collaborators at Mizzou, who have made this journey so rewarding.”
“This award reflects the collective efforts of my collaborators, students and the supportive environment at Mizzou, which has enabled us to push the boundaries of nanomedicine in service of society,” Kannan said.
Grant joined the University of Missouri in 2001 and was promoted to full professor in 2012. She is a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors, honors reserved for the top 2% of engineers in the field.
Grant’s research has led to groundbreaking advancements in materials science and bioengineering. Since 2021, her research expenditures have exceeded $2.67 million, with shared credit awards surpassing $5.5 million. She recently received a $6.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to establish the Mizzou TecHub. She holds 12 U.S. patents and founded three companies, one of which raised over $8 million in investment.
Grant has received Certificates of Appreciation for outstanding mentoring 19 times and has been honored with the Ann K. Covington Award, the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award and Mizzou Engineering’s Excellence in Teaching Award.
Kannan joined Mizzou in 2005 and was promoted to full professor in 2019. His pioneering nanomedicine research focuses on understanding drug-resistance in cancer and overcoming that by designing novel RNAi therapies. He has more than 77 publications in such top journals as Advanced Materials, ACS Nano and Nano Letters. He holds more than 20 patents and currently leads NIH-funded projects totaling $4.5 million.
Kannan has developed multiple drug-delivery technologies and established a start-up to bring these innovations to patients. Recently, he created a method for delivering chemotherapy drugs directly to tumors with reduced toxicity, attracting investment from a major pharmaceutical company.
He served as editor-in-chief of Synthesis and Reactivity in Organic Chemistry and on NIH study sections, earning awards like the University of Missouri’s President Award for Economic Development.