Joseph D. Andrade

Joseph D. Andrade is an American bioengineer, professor, educator, scientist and writer. He is distinguished professor emeritus in the Departments of Bioengineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Pharmaceutics at University of Utah.

Andrade's research has been focused on biomaterials and on biochemical sensors. He has supervised some 50 graduate students, written seven books, produced 125 scientific papers and holds six patents.

Andrade became a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 1991 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Uppsala University in 2000.

Education Andrade entered the University of California-Berkeley in Fall, 1959, where he studied for more than two years and then dropped out. Two years later he was awarded the B.S. in Materials Science from San Jose State University, in 1965. He then attended the University of Denver, completing his Ph.D. in Metallurgy and Materials Science in January, 1969. He served as the Vice President for Public Policy at the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering from 1992 to 1994 and was the program chair of the 1993 meeting, which resulted in the book, Medical and Biological Engineering in the Future of Health Care.

Andrade's public service and community activities include enhancing elementary school science education and informal science education. He developed the University of Utah's first video-intensive general science telecourse, Science without Walls: Science in Your World, which was broadcast throughout most of Utah on KUEN for some 20 years, ending in 2012. He contributed significantly to the genesis and establishment of The Leonardo - Salt Lake City's Science, Art, Technology Center, which opened in 2011. He served as science advisor and on the board of directors for several additional years. The Leonardo closed in October, 2025 and no longer exists. Its history is summarized in a chapter of his 2023 Memoir.

In 2012, Andrade retired as emeritus and distinguished professor, University of Utah. The same year, he ran as an unaffiliated candidate for Congress in Utah's District 2 on a Towards a Sustainable Future campaign.

Research and work Andrade's research has been focused on biomaterials and on biochemical sensors. He is most known for formulating the minimum interfacial free energy hypothesis for biocompatibility. His early work dealt with blood-materials interactions and with approaches for enhanced blood compatibility, based largely on protein-coated, hydrogel-coated, and/or polyethylene glycol-coated surfaces.

His PhD dissertation was a theoretical model of protein adsorption. Later, the theory work was expanded to include polyethylene-glycol and similar interfaces. The focus on surfaces and interfaces required analysis of and development of tools for the characterization of polymer-based interfaces, including interface electric potentials, interfacial energy, chemical composition (via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), and interface fluorescence analysis.

The second stage of his research career focused on biochemical sensors, based initially on fiber optics and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) analysis. The biochemical sensor work used firefly luciferase bioluminescence and enzyme biochemistry for substrate specificity.

He developed the University of Utah's first video-intensive general science telecourse – Science without Walls: Science in Your World – beginning in 1989. The 40 segment TV course was broadcast on KUEN TV throughout Utah for 20 years, until 2012.

Awards and honors 1978 - Ebert Prize, Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences 1981 - Distinguished Research Award, University of Utah 1985 - Clemson Award for Contributions to Literature, Biomaterials Society and Clemson University 1987 - Patent Prize, College of Engineering, University of Utah 1991 - Polymer Science Pioneers, Polymer News 1991 - Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering 1992 - Utah Governor's Medal for Science and Technology 1992 - Distinguished University Service Award in Biological Sciences, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters 1993 - Faculty Service Award, College of Engineering, University of Utah 1995 - Honorary Member, Materials Research Society of India 1995 - Surface in Biomaterials Fdn Award for Excellence in Surface Science 2000 - Honorary PhD Degree, Uppsala University, Sweden 2011 - Prolific Inventor, University of Utah

Publications Books Obrigado Pela Vida – Thank You For Life – A Memoir (2023) State Change: A Chemical Fantasy (2016) Science without Walls: Science in YOUR World (1998) Medical and Biological Engineering in the Future of Health Care (1994) Dynamic Aspects of Polymer Surfaces (1988) Artificial Organs: The W J Kolff Festschrift (1987) Surface and Interfacial Aspects of Biomedical Polymers Vol. 1 – Surface Chemistry and Physics (1985) Surface and Interfacial Aspects of Biomedical Polymers Vol. 2 – Protein Adsorption (1985) Hydrogels for Medical and Related Applications (1976)