Dr. Chad Alexander Mirkin is a world-renowned chemist whose pioneering work has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of nanotechnology and its applications across multiple scientific disciplines. He currently holds the distinguished position of George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University, with additional appointments as Professor of Medicine, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical and Biological Engineering. Born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1963, Mirkin earned his B.S. degree from Dickinson College in 1986 before completing his Ph.D. in chemistry at Penn State University in 1989 under Professor Gregory L. Geoffroy. Following his doctoral studies, he conducted NSF postdoctoral research at MIT with Professor Mark S. Wrighton before joining the Northwestern University faculty in 1991, where he has remained a transformative scientific leader ever since.
Mirkin's groundbreaking contributions include the invention of dip-pen nanolithography, recognized by National Geographic as one of the top 100 scientific discoveries that changed the world, and the development of nanoparticle-based biodetection schemes that have revolutionized diagnostic approaches across medicine and biology. He pioneered the use of nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates as synthons in materials science, creating entirely new paradigms for molecular assembly and materials design that have enabled breakthroughs in chemical sensing and diagnostics. His work on spherical nucleic acids has proven particularly transformative, with applications spanning structural nanomedicine to materials chemistry, including the development of drugs currently in clinical trials. With over 800 publications and more than 1,200 patents to his name, Mirkin was identified in 2010 as the most cited chemist worldwide over the previous decade, underscoring the exceptional impact and breadth of his scientific contributions.
As Director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology and the Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly at Northwestern, Mirkin has cultivated an extraordinary research ecosystem that bridges traditional disciplinary boundaries and fosters high-impact innovation across academia and industry. His leadership extends to national advisory roles, including service on President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, where he helped shape science policy at the highest levels. Mirkin's laboratory continues to push the frontiers of nanoscience, with current research focused on developing novel analytical tools for chemical and biological sensing, gene regulation, immunomodulation, and energy applications. Recognized with prestigious honors including the Lemelson-MIT Prize, his work exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary science to address humanity's most pressing challenges, and his vision continues to inspire a new generation of researchers across the globe.
