Alumnus and cryobiologist John Baust to be speaker at Commencement

Dr. Baust will speak at both the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ceremonies in the Steele Hall track/basketball arena on campus. Graduates for bachelor’s and master’s degrees and advanced certificates will be combined and attend ceremonies according to major. For more information, visit the Commencement 2010 website>>

 

President Dennis L. Hefner noted, “Dr. Baust has been a true friend of and advocate for SUNY Fredonia, supporting the university in many efforts, and offering valuable learning opportunities for our students. We’re most pleased that Dr. Baust will offer his wisdom to our graduates on this most important day.”

 

Dr. Baust, who earned his undergraduate degree in Biology in 1965, is one of the world’s leading researchers in cryobiology and cryomedicine, and has developed cryotechniques used in the treatment of diseases including cancer and in cell and tissue preservation. He is a professor of biological sciences and director of the Institute for Biomedical Technology at Binghamton University, and this past year has served as a visiting professor at the medical schools of Duke University, UCLA, and the University of Amsterdam. He is also a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) chair and professor selected to provide leadership for developing nations in cryobiology and cryomedicine.

 

As an entrepreneur, Dr. Baust has founded a number of companies including BioLife Solutions, which develops, manufactures and markets solutions for the cryopreservation of cells, tissues and organs. He is the former senior vice president and chief scientific officer at Cryomedical Sciences, Inc., co-author of the book, “Advances in Biopreservation,” and editor-in-chief of the journal, Biopreservation & Biobanking. He earned his Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Alaska’s Institute of Arctic Biology at Fairbanks.

 

At the 2009 annual meeting of the international Society for Cryobiology in Japan, Dr. Baust was named a Fellow of the Society for his legacy contributions in developing a curative cancer therapy, as one of only 12 individuals so honored in the society’s 45-year history. He is also a 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award presented by the Fredonia Alumni Association. Recently, the American Urological Association recommended the use of a minimally invasive cryobiology procedure co-developed by Dr. Baust and his team as a recommended option in the treatment of prostate cancer. During the Fall 2009 semester, Dr. Baust led a unique honors cancer seminar for Fredonia undergraduates combining in-person lectures, distance learning, and a weekend trip to his laboratory in Binghamton.

 

Dr. Baust and his wife, Judith, live in Candor, N.Y.