The Arizona Board of Regents confirmed the appointments of five University of Arizona faculty members as Regents' Professors on April 11, including Dr. Marvin J. Slepian, associate department head in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and professor of materials science and engineering, cardiology, and medical imaging. The title of Regents’ Professor is reserved for full professors whose exceptional achievements merit national and international distinction. Regents' Professor appointments are limited to no more than 3% of the total number of the university’s tenured and tenure track faculty members.

Slepian, who is also a McGuire Scholar in the Eller College of Management and a member of the Sarver Heart Center and the BIO5 Institute, has accomplished a number of "firsts" at the intersection of medicine, engineering and business. Two examples, of many, include the first biodegradable coronary stent and arterial paving system -- providing support, barrier and local drug delivery to restore flow and heal blood vessels -- and the first FDA-approved total artificial heart -- completely replacing and restoring lost cardiac pump function.

Slepian founded and directs the Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation, a university-wide “creativity engine” and inventors' workshop, which helps faculty and students identify and tackle unmet needs by developing and amplifying ideas into practical solutions to improve life and health. He is the recipient of the College of Engineering's 2019 da Vinci Fellowship.