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Professor Ioannis V. Yannas SM ’59, a physical chemist and engineer recognized for the creation of synthetic skin for treating severe burns, and a long-serving member of the MIT faculty, passed away on Oct. 19 at the age of 90.
“Professor Yannas was a cherished and esteemed colleague, educator, and mentor. The influence of his inventions, along with his contributions to the realm of bioengineering, was monumental,” states John Hart, the Class of 1922 Professor and leader of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Yannas, affectionately known as Yanni among friends and colleagues, held positions in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. His main research focus during his career was on the process of induced organ regeneration aimed at replacing organs that are either severely damaged or incurably diseased. His efforts also propelled the clinical application of collagen tubes for treating peripheral nerve injuries.
In 1969, when Yannas approached the late John Burke from Massachusetts General Hospital for a collaboration, Burke took him on a tour of a pediatric burn unit. “I was confronted with significant human suffering, and I felt compelled to act,” Yannas reflected in later interviews. In 1981, the duo announced their breakthrough: a combination of a silicone outer layer over a support structure made from molecular material sourced from cow tendon and shark cartilage. This scaffolding not only offered protection against infection and dehydration but also facilitated the growth of healthy skin cells. Their innovation would revolutionize the treatment of individuals with burn injuries.
Their synthetic skin, patented and currently produced as Integra, continues to be extensively used for patients with severe and extensive burns, as well as for other purposes including certain types of plastic surgery and the management of chronic skin wounds commonly experienced by individuals with diabetes. This pioneering development, later acknowledged as the first instance of organ regeneration in adults, had previously been deemed impossible.
“Yanni’s daring approach to addressing a wide range of medical challenges, including spinal cord transection, in his exploration of collagen-based implants, inspired others, including myself, to pursue solutions for devastating ailments like blindness, stroke, and spinal cord injuries,” remarks Myron Spector, professor emeritus of orthopedic surgery (biomaterials) at Massachusetts General Brigham and Harvard Medical School, and an associate of the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Together, Yannas and Spector developed several courses at MIT, including 2.79 (Biomaterial-Tissue Interactions).
“While discussing the curriculum [for 2.79], Yanni suggested we articulate the cellular behavior that underpins tissue responses to implants,” explains Spector. “In a short span, we formulated a framework for ‘unit cell processes’ designed to equip students with a guide to interpret the often unfathomably intricate cellular operations that not only influence tissue responses to implants but also inform the selection of the necessary tools to engineer medical devices and pinpoint their treatment targets. This was entirely Yanni’s idea, taking a basic principle, the control volume used in chemical engineering for system analysis, and applying it to cellular dynamics within the human body. I still utilize UCPs myself on a regular basis.”
As a peer engaged in teaching and research collaboration, Spector describes Yannas as eager to assist and learn, adventurous in his thinking, wise in his decisions, focused on objectives, respectful towards students, faculty, and fellow colleagues, and altruistic. “These are the very qualities we encourage our students to seek in collaborators who are vital in science and engineering.”
Yannas was born on April 14, 1935, in Athens, Greece, where he completed his secondary education at Athens College. He earned a BA in chemistry from Harvard College in 1957, followed by an MS in chemical engineering from MIT in 1959. After a stint in industrial research on polymers at W. R. Grace & Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he attended Princeton University, where he achieved an MS degree in 1965 and a PhD in 1966, both in physical chemistry. Yannas joined the MIT faculty right afterward and remained there for the next 59 years until his death.
In recognition of his groundbreaking work in organ regeneration, Yannas was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (1987), the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2015), and the National Academy of Engineering (2017). He was also honored as a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biomedical Engineering.
Moreover, he received numerous prestigious accolades including the Society for Biomaterials Founders Award (1982) and the Society’s Clemson Award for Applied Science and Engineering (1992). He authored many journal articles and was the sole author of the influential book, “Tissue and Organ Regeneration in Adults.”
Yannas’ contributions, along with his 2015 induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, were the subject of “Hope Regenerated,” a video created by the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering. The film narrates the evolution of Integra, which was initially viewed as a “failed experiment” but morphed into a life-saving breakthrough that birthed a new sector of regenerative medicine.
“My father’s connection with MIT was profoundly significant to him,” shares Tania Yannas Kluzak. “He viewed MIT as the perfect partner in his life’s mission — pioneering lifesaving research in organ regeneration.”
Yannas was preceded in death by his brother, Pavlos. He is survived by his two children, Tania Kluzak and her spouse Gordon, and Alexi Yannas and his partner Maria; his grandchildren — Alexandra, Marina, Sophia, Philippos, and Nefeli; his sister, Elizabeth Sitinas; and numerous affectionate relatives and friends. A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a future date.
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