May 3, 2019 | Jola Glotzer
NAS 2019 election
National Academy of Sciences announced newly elected members, including UChicago professor Matthew Tirrell, a past CBC awardee
Congratulations to Matthew Tirrell, the Founding Pritzker Director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME) at The University of Chicago, who was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences! This newest honor adds to the already impressive portfolio of awards Tirrell has received over the years, including the Polymer Physics Prize of the American Physical Society and election to the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Tirrell is also a member of the CBC community, having received a Catalyst Award (2013) and a Postdoctoral Research Award (PDR, 2014).
Biography
Matthew Tirrell, UChicago
Matthew Tirrell is the Founding Pritzker Director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME) at The University of Chicago. His personal research specializes in the manipulation and measurement of polymer surface properties. Tirrell’s work has provided new insight into phenomena such as adhesion, friction, and biocompatibility, and contributed to the development of new materials based on self-assembly of synthetic and bio-inspired materials.
Tirrell also serves as Deputy Laboratory Director for Science at Argonne National Laboratory. He is responsible for integrating the laboratory’s research and development efforts and science and technology capabilities. He develops and drives strategy to support integrated teams across disciplines in support of Argonne’s strategic initiatives.
Before becoming founding director of the IME in 2011, Tirrell served as the Arnold and Barbara Silverman Professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and as professor of materials science and engineering and chemical engineering and faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Prior to that, he was dean of engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara for 10 years. Tirrell began his academic career at the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and later became head of the department.
Tirrell received his B.S. in chemical engineering from Northwestern University and his Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He has received many honors, including the Polymer Physics Prize of the American Physical Society and election to the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Research
Matthew Tirrell is a pioneering researcher in the fields of biomolecular engineering and nanotechnology, specializing in the manipulation and measurement of the surface properties of polymers, materials that consist of long, flexible chain molecules. His work combines microscopic measurements of intermolecular forces with the creation of new structures. His work has provided new insight into polymer properties, especially surface phenomena, such as adhesion, friction, and biocompatibility, and new materials based on self-assembly of synthetic and bioinspired materials.
Source:
Adapted (with modifications) from News from the National Academy of Sciences, published on April 30, 2019, and Tirrell’s webpage.
Featured CBC Community member(s):
Matthew Tirrell, UChicago
- CBC PDR Award (2014):
▸ Multimodal Peptide Amphiphile Micelles for Atherosclerosis
PIs: Eun Ji Chung (postdoc) and Matthew Tirrell (UChicago) - CBC Catalyst Award (2013):
▸ Immunotherapy-Mediated Interference of Bacterial Quorum Sensing
PIs: Michael J. Federle (UIC) and Matthew Tirrell (UChicago)
ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE PAST ABOUT THE FEATURED CBC COMMUNITY MEMBER(S):
July 19, 2018
▸ Understanding slippery surfaces
Matt Tirrell, UChicago, a twice CBC awardee, explains