Robert E Akins, PhD, FAACPDM, FAHA is a Principal Scientist, Director of the Center for Pediatric Clinical Research and Development, and Head of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research at the Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware. He holds multiple leadership roles in research, mentoring, and professional development programs in the state, and he is a full professor affiliated with the departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware. He joined Nemours in 1992. Dr. Akins received both his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an inaugural fellow of the American Heart Association and a Fellow of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. His work has been generously supported by the Nemours Foundation, the American Heart Association, NASA's Biotechnology and Cell Science Program, the Swank Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NHLBI, NICHD, NCRR, and NIGMS), the State of Delaware, and the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine / Pedal with Pete Foundation.