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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Ann A. Kiessling, director of the independent Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation and a leader in both stem cell research and reproductive biology, will give the commencement address at Oregon State University's graduation ceremony this spring.

Kiessling also will receive an honorary doctorate from the university at its 145th commencement, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, in Reser Stadium.

"Ann Kiessling is a nationally recognized researcher and pioneer whose work in cutting-edge fields of stem cell research and the HIV virus should make for an enlightening talk for our graduates," said Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray. "She has had a remarkable career that launched at Oregon State, where she earned her Ph.D."

Kiessling, who has a doctorate in biochemistry and biophysics from Oregon State, joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1985, specializing in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology, and working in the Department of Surgery. In the early 1990s, she pioneered reproductive options for couples living with the HIV disease and hepatitis C - techniques that led to the successful births of 121 children free of those diseases.

The Bedford Research Foundation was founded in 1996 as a Massachusetts public charity to support research. By the year 2000, the foundation's research laboratory expanded to include human stem cell research. To date, the foundation has collaborated with more than 60 clinics globally to find treatment for infectious diseases and spinal cord injuries. Foundation officials say their belief is that international scientific collaboration is fundamentally important to rapid biomedical advances.

Kiessling's book, "Human Embryonic Stem Cells: An Introduction to the Science and Therapeutic Potential," published in 2003 and re-released in 2006, is the first textbook on the topic.

Before joining the Harvard University faculty, Kiessling had a faculty appointment at Oregon Health & Science University, where she worked from 1977-85.