Renita Horton joined the Cullen College as an assistant professor in the biomedical engineering in January 2019.

Horton comes to UH from Mississippi State University (MSU), where she worked as assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering. While at MSU, she established the Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory.

Horton completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.

Horton received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from MSU. She went on to earn a master’s and doctoral degree from Harvard in engineering sciences with a concentration in bioengineering. She first became affiliated with Harvard when she participated in a Research Experience for Undergraduates summer program – funded by the National Science Foundation – at the university’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.

Her research interest lies in better understanding the factors leading to heart disease, lupus, and sickle cell anemia. She hopes to use that knowledge to improve patient care and outcomes. She is a member of numerous organizations including Biomedical Engineering Society, National Society of Black Engineers, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Heart Association. She is a recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER award as well as the Lupus Research Alliance Empowering Lupus Research Career Development Award.