Kenton Gregory, M.D., an internationally accomplished physician-bioengineer whose landmark research breakthroughs include the development of lifesaving medical products for troops in the battlefield, is directing a new Center for Regenerative Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.
Gregory’s 15-member team, which includes four M.D. and Ph.D. scientists, is moving from Providence St. Vincent Medical Center to OHSU’s Marquam Hill Campus, effective January 2012.
“Dr. Gregory is an exceptional scientist and innovator whose ability to quickly translate science into products of practical use will continue to positively impact Oregon’s economy. His move to OHSU is a great example of health systems working together in an era of reform to consolidate valuable resources,” said Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., president of OHSU.
Gregory has launched nine spin-off companies since 1991 — three headquartered in Oregon — including HemCon Medical Technologies, a global company that produces a suite of medical products used by military personnel, civilian first responders and medical professionals to rapidly control severe bleeding.
Gregory holds 19 domestic and three international patents, has served as Principal Investigator on five FDA-sponsored clinical trials, and has received more than $50 million in grants.
"Dr. Gregory's success in obtaining Department of Defense funding will diversify OHSU's research funding portfolio. In addition to expanding OHSU's research in the area of regenerative medicine, his track record of rapid movement from scientific discovery to application will further enhance OHSU's capacity to conduct impactful translational research," said Daniel Dorsa, Ph.D., vice president for research at OHSU.
As center director, Gregory will direct efforts to advance autologous stem cell treatments to safely regenerate hearts damaged by heart attacks and cardiomyopathies that cause heart failure. He will advance pioneering work to regenerate arms and legs severely damaged from battlefield blast injuries — work that could easily be translated to civilian extremity injuries to accelerate and improve healing.
Gregory also will develop regenerative medicine therapies to treat damaged nerves, spinal cords, lungs and skin, along with new tissue replacements that use normal human structural proteins, such as elastin, as novel biomaterials for arteries and skin as well as advanced, non-clotting stents.
Gregory holds a faculty appointment in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. He is the founder and former director of the Oregon Center for Regenerative Medicine at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, where he also served as director at the Oregon Medical Laser Center, held an endowed chair in laser medicine and surgery and was a practicing interventional cardiologist.
“Our 20-year relationship with Dr. Gregory led to meaningful innovations in health care,” said Greg Van Pelt, senior vice president and chief executive for Providence in Oregon. “At Providence, we will continue to bring innovative research directly to patients in all the communities we serve. We believe that will complement the work being done at OHSU.”
Gregory received his undergraduate degree in engineering and Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Southern California. He completed his internship/residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiology at the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles; he also completed an additional research fellowship in cardiology at the Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif. He has held teaching positions at the University of California, Irvine Medical School, and Harvard University School of Medicine, and served as staff cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Gregory is a member of numerous medical societies, including the American Medical Society, American Heart Association, Society for Biomaterials and the American College of Cardiology; he also chairs a Cardiovascular Section at The International Society for Optical Engineering.