Stanford University
Showing 251-300 of 301 Results
-
Barry Trost
Job and Gertrud Tamaki Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Emeritus
BioBorn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Barry Trost began his university training at the University of Pennsylvania (BA, 1962) and completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1965). He moved directly to the University of Wisconsin, where he was promoted to Professor of Chemistry and subsequently Vilas Research Professor. He joined the faculty at Stanford as Professor of Chemistry in 1987 and became Tamaki Professor of Humanities and Sciences in 1990. In addition to serving multiple visiting professorships, Professor Trost was presented with a Docteur honoris causa of the Université Claude-Bernard (Lyon I), France, and in 1997 a Doctor Scientiarum Honoris Causa of the Technion, Haifa, Israel. In recognition of his innovations and scholarship in the field of organic synthesis, Professor Trost has received the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry, ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, and the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, among many others. Professor Trost has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Chemical Society, and American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and served as Chairman of the NIH Medicinal Chemistry Study Section. He has held over 125 special university lectureships and presented over 270 Plenary Lectures at national and international meetings. He has published two books and over 950 scientific articles. He edited a major compendium entitled Comprehensive Organic Synthesis consisting of nine volumes and serves on the editorial board for Science of Synthesis and Reaxys.
The Trost Group’s research program revolves around the theme of synthesis, including target molecules with potential applications as novel catalysts, as well as antibiotic and antitumor therapies. The work comprises two major activities: 1) developing the tools, i.e., the reactions and reagents, and 2) creating the proper network of reactions to make complex targets readily available from simple starting materials.
Efforts to develop "chemists' enzymes" – non-peptidic transition metal based catalysts that can perform chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and especially enantioselective reactions – focus close attention to the question of atom economy to minimize waste, energy, and consumption of raw materials.
Synthetic efficiency raises the question of metal catalyzed cycloadditions to rings other than six-membered. A general strategy is evolving for a "Diels-Alder" equivalent for formation of five, seven, nine, etc. membered carbo- and heterocyclic rings.
An exciting new direction derives from the molecular gymnastics acetylenes undergo in the presence of transition metals. Additional specific goals include cycloisomerization to virtually all types of ring sizes and systems with particularly versatile juxtaposition of functionality.
Palladium and ruthenium catalysts represent a major part of the lab's efforts, in order to invent new synthetic processes together with new opportunities for selectivity complementary to that obtained using other metal complexes. Main group chemistry, especially involving silicon, zinc, and sulfur, also offers many opportunities for new reaction design. Rational design of novel catalysts for asymmetric additions to carbonyl and imine groups are an exciting thrust.From these new synthetic tools evolve new synthetic strategies towards complex natural products. Targets include β-lactam antibiotics, ionophores, steroids and related compounds (e.g., Vitamin D metabolites), alkaloids, nucleosides, carbohydrates, and macrolide, terpenoid, and tetracyclic antitumor and antibiotic agents. -
John Walters
Ph.D. Student in Chemistry, admitted Autumn 2024
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in the attosecond dynamics of atoms and molecules. Specifically, my interest lies in investigating the effect of electron-electron correlation and the influence of non Born-Oppenheimer dynamics on isolated quantum systems to drive understanding of both ground-state and excited-state processes. Additionally, I am interesting in applying covariance and machine-learning based techniques to improve measurement resolution in high-repetition rate experiments.
-
Zijun Wang
Visiting Scholar, Chemistry
BioZijun Wang is an industrial R&D partner with Stanford Chemistry, Founder of CaliResearch Corporation, and serves in a scientific business development role at Rigaku Corporation.
His research interests include next-generation energy storage materials, low-dimensional materials, and the development of advanced characterization methodologies.
Email:
zjwang1@stanford.edu -
Robert Waymouth
Robert Eckles Swain Professor of Chemistry and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemical Engineering
BioRobert Eckles Swain Professor in Chemistry Robert Waymouth investigates new catalytic strategies to create useful new molecules, including bioactive polymers, synthetic fuels, and sustainable plastics. In one such breakthrough, Professor Waymouth and Professor Wender developed a new class of gene delivery agents.
Born in 1960 in Warner Robins, Georgia, Robert Waymouth studied chemistry and mathematics at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia (B.S. and B.A., respectively, both summa cum laude, 1982). He developed an interest in synthetic and mechanistic organometallic chemistry during his doctoral studies in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology under Professor R.H. Grubbs (Ph.D., 1987). His postdoctoral research with Professor Piero Pino at the Institut fur Polymere, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, focused on catalytic hydrogenation with chiral metallocene catalysts. He joined the Stanford University faculty as assistant professor in 1988, becoming full professor in 1997 and in 2000 the Robert Eckles Swain Professor of Chemistry.
Today, the Waymouth Group applies mechanistic principles to develop new concepts in catalysis, with particular focus on the development of organometallic and organic catalysts for the synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures. In organometallic catalysis, the group devised a highly selective alcohol oxidation catalyst that selectively oxidizes unprotected polyols and carbohydrates to alpha-hyroxyketones. In collaboration with Dr. James Hedrick of IBM, we have developed a platform of highly active organic catalysts and continuous flow reactors that provide access to polymer architectures that are difficult to access by conventional approaches.
The Waymouth group has devised selective organocatalytic strategies for the synthesis of functional degradable polymers and oligomers that function as "molecular transporters" to deliver genes, drugs and probes into cells and live animals. These advances led to the joint discovery with the Wender group of a general, safe, and remarkably effective concept for RNA delivery based on a new class of synthetic cationic materials, Charge-Altering Releasable Transporters (CARTs). This technology has been shown to be effective for mRNA based cancer vaccines. -
Paul Wender
Francis W. Bergstrom Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMolecular imaging, therapeutics, drug delivery, drug mode of action, synthesis
-
Yilei Wu
Laboratory Services Manager 2, Chemistry
BioResearch Scientist & Chemistry Teaching Lab Manager, Stanford University
Yilei Wu is a research scientist at Stanford University whose work focuses on advancing organic electronics and solar‑energy conversion. With more than 15 years of experience in molecular design, organic synthesis, and device engineering, his research spans thin‑film transistors, organic photovoltaics, spintronics, fluorescence imaging, and molecular machines. He specializes in developing high‑performance organic materials for solution‑printable solar cells and wearable electronics, integrating supramolecular chemistry, thin‑film deposition, and device characterization to optimize donor–acceptor interfaces and bulk morphology. His work supports the development of flexible, lightweight solar technologies for both civilian and modern defense applications.
In addition to his research, Wu oversees the operation and management of Stanford’s Chemistry teaching laboratories, directing laboratory infrastructure, instructional support, and departmental health and safety programs.
He teaches CHEM 100: Chemical Laboratory and Safety Skills, an intensive in‑lab course that provides foundational training in chemical safety, laboratory techniques, and hazard assessment. He also teaches CHEM 121: Understanding the Natural and Unnatural World through Chemistry, a course that explores how fundamental chemical principles drive innovation across biology, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, engineering, energy, and materials science. -
Yan Xia
Professor of Chemistry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPolymer Chemistry, Microporous Polymer Membranes, Responsive Polymers, Degradable Polymers, Polymers with Unique Mechanical Behaviors, Polymer Networks, Organic Electronic Materials
-
Pavan Yadav
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry
BioI am a Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford University in the laboratory of Professor Paul A. Wender, where I work on the development of delivery technologies for RNA therapeutics, including mRNA, circular RNA (circRNA), and oligonucleotide-based medicines. My current research focuses on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and transporter-based systems for targeted nucleic acid delivery, with the goal of advancing the translation of genetic medicines.
I received my Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from CSIR–Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), India. During my doctoral training, I specialized in nanomedicine, drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, and bioanalytical method development, with a particular focus on developing nanocarrier-based therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Prior to my Ph.D., I earned both my Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Pharmacy degrees from Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, India.
My research interests span RNA therapeutics, drug delivery, nanomedicine, lipid nanoparticle engineering, pharmacokinetics, and translational pharmaceutical sciences. I have experience in the design, formulation, and biological evaluation of diverse delivery systems, including lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, polymeric carriers, and other nanomaterial-based therapeutic platforms. My work integrates formulation science, biological evaluation, and preclinical studies to improve the delivery and performance of therapeutic agents.
I have authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Nature Communications, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Nanomedicine, and Bioanalysis. I am particularly interested in developing innovative delivery approaches that bridge fundamental research and clinical translation, with the ultimate goal of improving treatment options for patients. -
Richard Zare
Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science and Professor, by courtesy, of Physics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research group is exploring a variety of topics that range from the basic understanding of chemical reaction dynamics to the nature of the chemical contents of single cells.
Under thermal conditions nature seems to hide the details of how elementary reactions occur through a series of averages over reagent velocity, internal energy, impact parameter, and orientation. To discover the effects of these variables on reactivity, it is necessary to carry out studies of chemical reactions far from equilibrium in which the states of the reactants are more sharply restricted and can be varied in a controlled manner. My research group is attempting to meet this tough experimental challenge through a number of laser techniques that prepare reactants in specific quantum states and probe the quantum state distributions of the resulting products. It is our belief that such state-to-state information gives the deepest insight into the forces that operate in the breaking of old bonds and the making of new ones.
Space does not permit a full description of these projects, and I earnestly invite correspondence. The following examples are representative:
The simplest of all neutral bimolecular reactions is the exchange reaction H H2 -> H2 H. We are studying this system and various isotopic cousins using a tunable UV laser pulse to photodissociate HBr (DBr) and hence create fast H (D) atoms of known translational energy in the presence of H2 and/or D2 and using a laser multiphoton ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer to detect the nascent molecular products in a quantum-state-specific manner by means of an imaging technique. It is expected that these product state distributions will provide a key test of the adequacy of various advanced theoretical schemes for modeling this reaction.
Analytical efforts involve the use of capillary zone electrophoresis, two-step laser desorption laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry, cavity ring-down spectroscopy, and Hadamard transform time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We believe these methods can revolutionize trace analysis, particularly of biomolecules in cells. -
Xingyuan Zhang
Ph.D. Student in Chemistry, admitted Autumn 2023
Ph.D. Minor, Computer ScienceBioPhD candidate in Chemistry and Computer Science, Wu Tsai Neurosciences and Sarafan ChEM-H Institute at Stanford University. Working on scientific machine learning, biomolecular modeling, and protein design for drug discovery and disease modeling.
-
Mike Ziebel
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
BioMike Ziebel is an assistant professor in the department of chemistry at Stanford University. The Ziebel research group works at the interface of chemistry, physics, and materials science, focusing on using understanding of local electronic structure in inorganic solid-state materials to identify and synthesize new compounds hosting unconventional electronic and magnetic ground states. In particular, the group leverages manipulation techniques developed by the 2D materials community—namely the ability to stack, twist, and strain van der Waals materials near the few-layer limit—as a new design parameter to access electronic and magnetic behavior that would be inaccessible using conventional synthetic tools. By combining these methods with local structural and electronic probes, as well as bulk property measurements, the group works towards its ultimate goal to achieve on-demand control of lattice, charge, and spin degrees of freedom in quantum materials, for the development of more energy-efficient electrical and magnetic devices.
Prior to joining Stanford, Prof. Ziebel was a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, working jointly between the labs of Xavier Roy and Cory Dean to study correlated electron phases in new two-dimensional materials. He received his B.A. in chemistry from Northwestern University, where he pursued the synthesis of molecular electron donors for organic photovoltaic devices with Prof. Samuel Stupp, and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked with Prof. Jeff Long on electrically conductive metal–organic frameworks.
