Local Start to Global Reach: PNW Alumnus Mitchell “Mason” Macenski

An inductee in the PNW Alumni Hall of Fame, Mitchell “Mason” Macenski (BA, ‘86), is helping current PNW students shape their own futures.

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) alumnus Mitchell “Mason” Macenski (B.A.,‘86) is at the forefront of bioengineering human organs for transplantation. As the vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Miromatrix Medical, Inc., he is helping shape the future of medicine.

As a proud and supportive alumnus, he also is helping current PNW students shape their own futures. In 2010, Macenski established the Michael and Geraldine Macenski Behavioral Scholarship at PNW. The scholarship supports undergraduate students within the Department of Behavioral Sciences from Lake, Porter and La Porte counties in Indiana.

“If I can give a student an opportunity to succeed, to get an education and ease some of their financial stress, especially for first-generation students, then hopefully they’ll go on to do great things,” says Macenski. “Whether it’s being able to provide someone a kidney or liver, or helping a student get an education – it’s all about giving someone a better chance at life. To me, that just makes sense.”

If I can give a student an opportunity to succeed, to get an education and ease some of their financial stress, especially for first-generation students, then hopefully they’ll go on to do great things.

PNW alumnus Mitchell “Mason” Macenski (B.A.,‘86)

Local Start

The road from working at Ultra Foods in Hammond, Ind., to leading groundbreaking biomedical research at Miromatrix Medical, Inc., in Eden Prairie, Minn., was paved with purpose and drive.

Macenski grew up down the street from PNW’s Hammond campus. As a first-generation college student, his choice of PNW was a practical one – it was close to home and allowed him to work full-time to fund his education. The experience taught him discipline and confidence and proved essential for his future.

“College for me wasn’t an expectation, it was more of an aspiration,” says Macenski. “PNW was a good opportunity, a good education, a good value, and was there when I needed it. In retrospect, PNW gave me the solid educational foundation I needed to set me on the path to success.”

Initial Inspiration

While he didn’t grow up with visions of bioengineering human organs to cure liver failure, Macenski has always thought of himself as a scientist. As a psychology major at PNW, he was drawn to how behavior and biological systems intersect. The supportive environment and intellectual encouragement of the faculty, including Alan Spector, professor emeritus of Sociology, inspired him to think about concepts in whole new ways.

This new way of thinking eventually led to a career in clinical research. “At the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but PNW gave me a place to figure that out and the tools to pursue something greater,” says Macenski.

Macenski poses with students during his 2025 PNW Alumni Hall of Fame induction. His own journey as a first-generation student has inspired him to pay it forward by establishing the Michael and Geraldine Macenski Behavioral Scholarship at PNW, honoring his parents, as well as campus visits to encourage current PNW students.

Defining a Career

After graduating from PNW, Macenski earned a doctorate in Psychopharmacology from the University of Minnesota, a joint program between the schools of Pharmacology and Psychology. He then spent a decade as a faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, conducting preclinical central nervous system drug research and addiction treatment research, before transitioning from academia into the biomedical field.

Over the next 25 years he worked for a variety of companies in clinical, regulatory and medical affairs roles across various areas of research, including reconstructive orthopedics, specifically spine, knee and hip joints. This diverse experience eventually led to his current position at Miromatrix, a company dedicated to bioengineering human organs for transplantation.

A Game Changer

Since 2017, Macenski has been a leader in the field of cutting-edge technology to bioengineer whole human organs. His work focuses on overseeing preclinical programs, clinical trials and regulatory submissions.

Previously, he had seen the limitations of working on incremental improvements in other biomedical areas. In contrast, his work in bioengineering human organs seeks to eliminate the long, often terminal, organ transplant waiting list, significantly improve the quality of life for patients on dialysis and potentially reduce the substantial costs to the U.S. healthcare system.

His passion and motivation for his current work is deeply rooted in the potential for a monumental impact on humanity. “The ability to look patients in the eye and know the work my team is doing offers a tangible hope keeps me motivated,” explains Macenski.  “I want to be involved in something that brings true change. When you can tell people you’re working on the ability to give a million people a kidney – that’s a game changer!”

I want to be involved in something that brings true change. When you can tell people you’re working on the ability to give a million people a kidney – that’s a game changer!

PNW alumnus Mitchell “Mason” Macenski (B.A.,‘86)

Paying it Forward

For all his professional achievements, Macenski has never forgotten where it all started. “My time at PNW taught me that if you think about, reach for and work harder for bigger things, you can achieve those bigger things.”

Inspired by his own journey as a first-generation college student at PNW, Macenski is dedicated to paying it forward. His commitment to the next generation of college students is evident through the establishment of the scholarship in his parents’ names. Recognizing that many students at PNW may be first-generation students and from underserved communities, he believes providing a strong educational foundation is essential. Beyond his financial contribution, he consistently gives of his time by returning to campus to speak and engage with current students.

Macenski was inducted into the PNW Alumni Hall of Fame in 2025. The award honors exceptional university alumni who are high-achieving leaders in their fields, involved members of their communities and who have engaged with PNW well beyond their time as students.

For Macenski, giving back is about creating opportunity for others to succeed. “Success often depends on opportunity and not on lack of talent,” he says. “PNW gave me that opportunity. Now, I want to pay that forward by giving students an opportunity to succeed, to get an education and go on to do great things.”

“Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue Northwest” is inspired by the powerful stories of alumni and supporters like Macenski, who continues to change PNW students’ lives while helping shape the future of medicine. We invite you to join us in celebrating PNW’s “Victories & Heroes” by making a gift to expand opportunities for PNW students and further PNW’s positive impact on the community.