Gorr selected as Fulbright US Scholar
The Institute of International Education and the Fulbright Program recently announced the selection of Sven-Ulrik Gorr, PhD, professor of basic sciences, as a Fulbright US Scholar for 2026 to 2027. The Fulbright Scholar Awards offer opportunities to teach and conduct research abroad while strengthening professional development and fostering long‑term connections that enrich their careers, campuses and communities.
Professor Gorr will be working in Barcelona, Spain, in collaboration with Conrado Aparicio, PhD, MScEng, at the Universitat Politecnica Catalunya. They hope to combine Gorr’s research on new antibiotics that can kill drug-resistant bacteria with surface coating technologies developed by Aparicio, with the hope of finding ways to prevent the formation of biofilm on medical devices. “We’ve collaborated since Dr. Aparicio was here, resulting in several joint publications and most recently two joint patents that were issued 2024-2025,” Gorr said.
“Most of our big problems are international in nature, and I believe that the solutions will also be international,” Gorr said. He hopes that spending time together will encourage advancements that might not be possible half a world away. “Dr. Aparicio’s lab brings unique expertise that is not available elsewhere,” he said. “As a member of his research group, I’ll have an opportunity to learn laboratory techniques and access equipment that requires being there in person. This also allows for those chance encounters in the hallway or by the coffeemaker that often lead to new and unexpected directions, all of which are hard to replicate on Zoom.”
The opportunity is one that was made possible with the support of many people in his circle, Gorr said. “The support from the University, in particular Dean Mays and my chair, Dr. Simone, as well as my family, was essential to make this possible. I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity and hope that this experience will contribute to future scholarship and continued international engagement, and that, in turn, I can be a resource for future applicants.”
For colleagues who might be interested in applying for one of the awards, Gorr was encouraging. “The Fulbright program has many opportunities. If you are at a stage where going abroad is even feasible, I think establishing international collaborations is a strong starting point,” he said. “Our Lasby fellowship is a great opportunity to host foreign scholars in the dental school and start those collaborations. While I think it is possible to reach out to potential collaborators specifically for this program, my sense is that the established collaboration and the ability to build on that to increase the chances of success for the scholarship period, helped me in this case. A second consideration is the needs of the host institution and how your visit can contribute to their goals, since ultimately, they select who is invited.”
Gorr is Chief Scientific Officer of and holds equity in Gavia Bio, LLC, which is developing the antimicrobial peptide(DGL 13K. These interests have been reviewed and managed by the University of Minnesota in accordance with its Conflict of Interest policies.