Bhanu P. Jena, George E. Palade University Professor and Distinguished Professor in Physiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine. BSc., BJB College, 1975, MSc., Utkal University, 1978 and Ph.D. (Zoology), Iowa State University, 1988. Member of the Yale faculty, (1990-2000). While at Yale, he cultivated his enduring interest in the cell biology of secretion.
Professor (2000-2004), Wayne State University School of Medicine, Distinguished Professor & George E. Palade University Professor (2004-pr), Wayne State University. He is the only living University Professor, and the second at Wayne State University’s 160-year history. Bhanu P. Jena is a recognized leader in membrane biology, whose work has transformed our understanding of the secretory process in cells. His discovery of the porosome, the universal secretory portal at the cell plasma membrane, as well as the subsequent dissection of its structure, dynamics, regulation and composition, has resulted in a paradigm shift in our understanding of regulated secretion. Many diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cystic fibrosis (CF) are newly appreciated to result from defects in porosome function, and are now beginning to be addressed through this lens as a result of his discoveries. In 2025, porosome reconstitution therapy for CF received Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA. Among the honors and awards Prof. Jena has received are the 2024 Lipid Science Prize, the 2015 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; Elected Foreign Member of the Georgian National Academy of Science; Fellow AAAS; Elected Foreign Member of the Korea Academy of Science & Technology; Elected Foreign Member of the National Academy of Medicine, Romania; Elected to the European Union Academy of Science; the Swebelius Cancer Research Award; the Hallim Distinguished Award Lecture jointly with Prof. Ahmed H. Zewail; Sir. Aaron Klug Award; ASAS Basic Biological Science Award; Ranbaxy Basic Research in Medical Sciences Award; George E. Palade Gold Medal; Elected to the Academy of Scholars at Wayne State University; six Honorary Doctorates including one from Babes-Bolyai University, Romania, jointly with Prof’s George E. Palade and Günter Blobel; and Distinguished Visiting Professorships in a number of institutions. A recent Editorial summarizes his contributions to science: Link
Research & Academic Interests
The structure, chemistry and mechanistic foundations of cellular function. (a) Cellular structure-
function, chemistry and dynamics, capitalizing and participating on technical advancements such as Atomic Force Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Single-channel electrophysiology and Differential Expansion Microscopy (DiExM), among others. (b) Membrane biogenesis and transport processes in cells including secretion and regulation of Aquaporin-mediated water transport. (c) Study of supramolecular cellular nanomachines especially the plasma membrane-associated porosome secretory portal using cryo-EM, DiExM, Mass Spectrometry, CRISPR Cas9 Knockout, and AI AlphaFold approach. (d) Translate discovery and inventions to serve society. (e) Institution building to provide education and research opportunities to the next generation.