University of Chicago Department of Chemistry

09/03/2026

Congratulations to Laura Gagliardi and Mark Levin, who have received American Chemical Society national awards for 2027.

Laura Gagliardi has been selected to receive the Henry H. Storch Award in Energy Chemistry, and Mark Levin has been selected to receive the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry.

The Storch Award recognizes distinguished contributions to fundamental or engineering energy-related research and development and education that address the world’s energy and chemical challenges.

The ACS Award in Pure Chemistry recognizes outstanding fundamental research in pure chemistry by an early-career scientist.

https://physicalsciences.uchicago.edu/news/article/acs-announces-2027-national-award-winners/

07/20/2026

Congratulations to professor Stuart Rowan who has been named as interim dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago!

A leading researcher in polymeric materials and a member of the UChicago faculty since 2016, Rowan steps into the role at a pivotal moment for UChicago PME.

"What has always distinguished UChicago PME is its willingness to bring together people, ideas, and disciplines in pursuit of impactful solutions to some of humankind’s most pressing challenges. I look forward to working alongside my outstanding colleagues to build on that foundation and support the school's continued success and growth,” said Rowan.

He succeeds Nadya Mason, who was recently appointed Vice President for Research for the University of Chicago.

🔗 Read more: http://ms.spr.ly/6047vIdXc

07/17/2026

We are thrilled to share the Viresh Rawal group’s full account of their total synthesis of (+)-hinckdentine A, featured as the June issue cover story in the Journal of Organic Chemistry.

This work traces the evolution of a synthetic strategy centered on an indole-based Claisen (Meerwein–Eschenmoser) rearrangement, enabling an efficient construction of the crucial C2 quaternary center of the indoline core. Their pursuit of an “ideal” synthesis led to a remarkably concise 5-operation route.

The cover art, titled ‘A quick but arduous journey to the summit: Hinckdentine A,’ beautifully visualizes this synthesis as a mountain expedition. According to the editors, "Like climbing a mountain, total synthesis demands navigating unforeseen obstacles, circumventing treacherous paths, and balancing methodical approaches against daring explorations of uncharted terrain."

This article was selected as an Editors’ Choice paper and is available for download here:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.joc.5c02924

07/17/2026

The Guangbin D**g Lab is redefining synthetic efficiency. In their latest publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, graduate student Zining Zhang unveils a powerful strategy for late-stage carbonyl removal via sequential double carbon–carbon bond cleavage. Previously, late-stage removal of these groups was notoriously difficult; this method solves that bottleneck, drastically streamlining the assembly of complex molecular architectures.

Read the full research here:
https://shorturl.at/coYoN

07/16/2026

This expands the boundaries of the field beyond what were previously fundamental constraints, and lays the foundation for the use of nitrides as nanomaterials,” said Prof. Dmitri Talapin.

As described in new research published in Nature, the Talapin Lab and Argonne National Laboratory have achieved a significant breakthrough by developing a method to synthesize nanocrystals from metal nitrides—a task previously thought to be impossible. This advancement is set to broaden the utility of these durable materials (such as gallium nitride, a staple in modern lighting) to include cutting-edge applications like flexible electronics, printed circuits, and medical implants.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/vivPu

07/01/2026

Huge congratulations to Prof. Jiwoong Park on being named the James Franck Professor in the Department of Chemistry, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, and the College at the University of Chicago. This prestigious honor recognizes his groundbreaking work engineering atomically thin 2D materials—including his lab's remarkable creation of the smallest known way to guide light. Following three stellar years of leadership as Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Park is one of three exceptional PSD faculty members receiving named professorships this July, perfectly capping off an era of profound impact as both a scientific pioneer and an institutional leader.

06/15/2026

The emergence of translation was a pivotal event in the early evolution of life, yet the mechanistic steps linking the RNA World to modern translation remain poorly understood. This Wednesday, June 17th, Dr. Aleksandar Radakovic will describe his research in a seminar investigating both the primordial role of RNA aminoacylation and the subsequent evolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), the enzymes responsible for establishing the genetic code.

The discussion will cover findings regarding how aminoacylated RNAs enhance chemical reactivity to facilitate ribozyme assembly, as well as insights into how modern aaRS specificity evolved. Additionally, Dr. Radakovic will discuss ongoing efforts to extend evolutionary inference deeper into the past through structure-based phylogenetic approaches.

"The Origin and Evolution of RNA Aminoacylation" | Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | 2:15 PM | Kent 120
For more details, visit https://shorturl.at/QReNb

06/09/2026

Custom protein binders are crucial for treating disease, but discovering them usually takes months.

Recently published in PNAS, new research from the Bryan Dickinson lab has introduced an innovative new platform that completely rewrites that timeline.

Spearheaded by researchers Joshua A. Pixley and Matthew Styles, the PANCS-spec-Binders platform screens billions of synthetic variants to isolate high-fidelity custom binders in just days. By eliminating a notorious biochemical bottleneck and removing the need for secondary screenings, their work opens the door for rapid, highly targeted therapeutic discovery.

Read the full story behind this significant breakthrough and the culture of innovation at UChicago driving it home: https://shorturl.at/ss9Ba

How an innovative UChicago laboratory built a fast-moving platform to target "undruggable" cancer proteins and train the next generation of scientific leaders

05/19/2026

At the end of this month, the 2026 Chicago Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Symposium will bring together researchers for 1.5 days of intensive scientific exchange focused on the latest developments in drug discovery and molecular biology.

The event features a comprehensive program of expert lectures, interactive poster sessions, and professional networking opportunities. With keynote speakers Dr. Jim Wells and Dr. Benjamin Cravatt, the event will include presentations from UChicago Chemistry faculty members Yamuna Krishnan and Jie Zhou. Attendees must register by tomorrow, May 20, to secure their spot and access the full schedule of sessions. Register today via Eventbrite. https://shorturl.at/ElwXD

05/07/2026

The Andrew Ferguson Lab at the University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Allen Liu Lab at the University of Michigan, has shown a new advancement in bio-design that borrows a survival trick from the tardigrade. By combining the Liu Lab’s experimental synthetic biology with advanced computational simulations—provided by UChicago graduate student and co-author Jianming Mao—the team revealed how unique proteins form a gel-like "molecular shield" to protect synthetic cells from extreme dehydration. This cross-institutional discovery offers a transformative roadmap for bio-preservation, potentially enabling the global distribution of life-saving vaccines without the need for refrigeration. Link: https://shorturl.at/NCqkJ