James Ankrum is associate professor of biomedical engineering, a researcher in the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, a member of the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, a researcher in the Iowa Technology Institute, and director of the Ankrum Lab. His current research interests include cell-based therapies, microenvironmental control of cell phenotype, and pancreatic beta cell therapy. Professor Ankrum is an active member of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, the Society for Biomaterials, and the Biomedical Engineering Society.