phd in chemistry stanford

Doctoral Program

The PhD program is designed to give students a broad and deep understanding of materials science and engineering so that they will have long and fruitful careers as researchers.

Main navigation, doctor of philosophy in materials science and engineering.

Students who graduate from our program will be among the world’s leading experts in the areas of their dissertation research. They also will have the intellectual tools to move into new research areas as the field grows and develops.

During the first year of the PhD program, students are required to take five courses from our core curriculum, attend the weekly colloquium lectures to learn about cutting-edge materials science research, explore finding an advisor (which includes a weekly course hour), and enroll in some technical elective coursework.

Students are expected to find a research group to join before the start of the spring quarter in their first year. During the summer after the first academic year, students typically work intensely on research under the guidance of a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department or a professor from another materials-related department.

In the second year, students continue to take technical elective coursework and do research. Between October and January, they take a qualifying examination, which they must pass to be formally admitted to candidacy for a PhD degree. In the first part of the exam, students give a 20-minute presentation on their proposed area of dissertation research. A committee of professors, which includes the student’s advisor, then questions the student on the proposed topic for 20 minutes. Finally, the professors ask questions for 80 minutes on topics from the core curriculum. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of materials science and to show that they can think clearly on aspects that are important for their research. Students who do not pass the qualifying exam can attempt it one more time in the spring quarter. It is not uncommon to pass one part but not both parts on the first try.

Once students pass the qualifying exam, they continue to take classes and do their dissertation research. Students are required to take 44 core, technical, and seminar units (approximately 18 quarter-long classes).

The final stage of the PhD program is to write a dissertation and pass the university oral examination, which involves giving a public seminar defending the dissertation and answering questions from a private panel of four professors. Most students complete the entire program in five years and receive several employment offers as they write their dissertations.

The university’s basic requirements for a PhD are outlined in the Graduate Degrees section of the Stanford Bulletin.

The PhD degree is awarded after the completion of a minimum of 135 units of graduate work as well as satisfactory completion of any additional university requirements. Degree requirements for the department are as follows:

1 All core courses must be completed for a letter grade and to qualify for the qualifying exam a GPA in the core courses must be 3.5 or higher.

2 Eight, elective, technical courses must be in areas related directly to students’ research interests.  Five courses must be in MATSCI, including one course in Characterization*

*The characterization course may be taken out of the department with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

All courses must be completed for a letter grade.

3 Materials Science and Engineering PhD students are required to take MATSCI 230 Materials Science Colloquium during each quarter of their first year. Attendance is required, roll is taken and more than two absences result in an automatic "No Pass" grade.

4 Research units will very likely equal or exceed 75, so other courses may count here.  This could include other engineering courses, MATSCI 400 , transfer units, other university courses, up to 3 units of MATSCI 299 .

5 Students must complete Materials Science Research Advising during the Autumn of their first year.  They will complete Ethics and Broader Impacts in Materials Science during the Spring of their first year.  In addition, students complete at least 10 residency units.  These course units may include  MATSCI 300  Ph.D. Research, other engineering courses,  MATSCI 400  Participation in Materials Science Teaching, or a maximum of three units  MATSCI 299  Practical Training.

• Students must consult with the PhD Advising Team or their academic adviser on PhD course selection planning. For students with a non-MATSCI research adviser, the MATSCI academic/co-adviser must also approve the list of proposed courses. Any proposed deviations from the requirements can be considered only by petition.
• PhD students are required to apply for and have conferred a MATSCI MS degree normally by the end of their third year of studies. A Graduate Program Authorization Petition (in Axess) and an MS Program Proposal  (PDF) must be submitted after taking the PhD qualifying examination.
• A departmental oral qualifying examination must be passed by the end of January of the second year. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 in core courses MATSCI 211-215 is required for admission to the PhD qualifying examination. Students who have passed the PhD qualifying examination are required to complete the Application for Candidacy to the PhD degree by June of the second year after passing the qualifying examination. Final changes in the Application for Candidacy form must be submitted no later than one academic quarter prior to the TGR status.
• Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken at Stanford.
• Students must present the results of their research dissertation at the university PhD oral defense examination.
• Current students subject to either this set of requirements or a prior set must obtain the approval of their adviser before filing a revised program sheet, and should as far as possible adhere to the intent of the new requirements.
• Students may refer to the list of "Advanced Specialty Courses and Cognate Courses" provided below as guidelines for their selection of technical elective units. As noted above, academic adviser approval is required.
• At least 90 units must be taken in residence at Stanford. Students entering with an MS degree in Materials Science from another university may request to transfer up to 45 units of equivalent work toward the total of 135 PhD degree requirement units.
• Students may propose a petition for exemption from a required core course if they have taken a similar course in the past. To petition, a student must consult and obtain academic and/or research adviser approval, and consent of the instructor of the proposed core course. To assess a student’s level of knowledge, the instructor may provide an oral or written examination on the subject matter. The student must pass the examination in order to be exempt from the core course requirement. If the petition is approved, the student is required to complete the waived number of units by taking other relevant upper-level MATSCI courses.

PhD minor in Materials Science and Engineering

The university’s basic requirements for the PhD minor are outlined in the Graduate Degrees section of the Stanford Bulletin. A minor requires 20 units of graduate work of quality and depth at the 200-level or higher in the Materials Science and Engineering course offering. Courses must be taken for a letter grade. The proposed list of courses must be approved by the department’s advanced degree committee. Individual programs must be submitted to the student services manager at least one quarter prior to the quarter of the degree conferral. None of the units taken for the PhD minor may overlap with any MS degree units.

Ph.D. Program

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Upcoming Event

• CSB Special Seminar: Thanos Halazonetis, DDS, PhD, March 18, 2024, Munzer!

Advances In Basic Science And Molecular Medicine

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology explores the frontiers of basic science and molecular medicine, particularly at the crossroads of cellular, chemical, and computational biology. We train Ph.D. students to apply genetic, chemical, cell biological, and quantitative methods to decipher the complex regulatory systems associated with normal physiology and disease states.

Specific research areas include cell signaling pathways, cell cycle control, epigenetics, cell fate specification, and genomic stability. The Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program also emphasizes collaborative learning, and our research community includes scientists trained in molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Our Ph.D. program consistently ranks among the top graduate training programs in the world. Most recently the National Research Council named us the top pharmacology-related training program in the United States, based on students’ GRE scores, faculty publications, median time to degree, program requirements, and training resources. The Chemical and Systems Biology graduate program was especially commended for the quality of its research activities.

Why Chemical And Systems Biology?

How do cells achieve directed migration? Why doesn’t a skin cell become a neuron? How do drug-resistant cancers arise and how might they be prevented or overcome? Finding answers to these and other biomedical questions increasingly requires molecular, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approaches.

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology is uniquely focused on understanding cell biology at the molecular and systems levels, and many of its faculty have expertise in biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Developing novel technologies for basic research and translating discoveries into therapeutic strategies are also areas of special interest in the Chemical and Systems Biology community.

Our goal is to train a new generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary skills and creative thinking required to tackle emerging challenges in biomedical research. We invite all interested students to apply to the Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program through the Stanford Biosciences online application form. Applicants whose research interests match well with our scientific mission are encouraged to select Chemical and Systems Biology as their primary home program.

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Stanford University PhD in Chemistry

The main focus area for this major is General Chemistry . For more details on this concentration, visit its profile page.

Chemistry is a major offered under the physical sciences program of study at Stanford University. We’ve pulled together some essential information you should know about the doctor’s degree program in chemistry, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, and more.

If there’s something special you’re looking for, you can use one of the links below to find it:

• Graduate Cost
• Average Salary
• Online Learning
• Student Diversity
• Related Majors
• Focus Areas

How Much Does a Doctorate in Chemistry from Stanford Cost?

Stanford graduate tuition and fees.

In 2019-2020, the average part-time graduate tuition at Stanford was $1,207 per credit hour for both in-state and out-of-state students. The following table shows the average full-time tuition and fees for graduate student.

How Much Can You Make With a PhD in Chemistry From Stanford?

The median early career salary of chemistry students who receive their doctor’s degree from Stanford is $111,996 per year. That is 75% higher than the national average of $63,921.

Does Stanford Offer an Online PhD in Chemistry?

Online degrees for the Stanford chemistry doctor’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Stanford Online Learning page.

Stanford Doctorate Student Diversity for Chemistry

Male-to-female ratio.

Of the students who received their doctor’s degree in chemistry in 2019-2020, 31.0% of them were women. This is less than the nationwide number of 40.6%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Racial-ethnic minority graduates* made up 17.2% of the chemistry doctor’s degrees at Stanford in 2019-2020. This is higher than the nationwide number of 14%.

PhD in Chemistry Focus Areas at Stanford

Chemistry students may decide to major in one of the following focus areas.

Majors Related to a PhD in Chemistry From Stanford

You may also be interested in one of these majors related to chemistry.

View All Chemistry Related Majors >

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

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PhD Program Requirements

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The Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering is awarded after completing a minimum of 135 units of graduate work, satisfactory completion of any additional university requirements, and the following departmental requirements. Completion of an MS degree is not a prerequisite for beginning, pursuing, or completing doctoral work.

Unit and course requirements

A minimum of 135 completed units is required, including a minimum of 39 units, consisting of 36 coursework units and 3 colloquium units. These 36 units consist of 15 units of CHEMENG core courses listed below, 6 units of CHEMENG 400-level courses, 9 additional units of graduate-level science & engineering lecture elective courses, and 6 units of flexible elective courses consisting of any course that the student and their advisor feels will further their research. CHEMENG 699 should be taken each quarter; its units count toward the required 135 units. The research units for CHEMENG 399 are included in the 135 total, but may not be counted toward the 36 unit requirement. The following courses are required:

These courses are to be taken at Stanford. Any petition to substitute another graduate-level course for any of these core courses must be approved by the department chair. The remaining graduate-level science and engineering lecture courses may be chosen from any department. A student may petition the department chair for approval to include an upper-division undergraduate science or engineering lecture course. All proposals for PhD course work must be approved by the student’s adviser and the department chair or his/her designee. Students working with a research advisor should enroll each quarter in the 500 series, 600 and 699 as appropriate and as study list unit limits permit. Students with questions or issues should see departmental graduate student services.

Predoctoral students may petition to have an MS degree program added to their university record; see departmental student services and submit them in a Graduate Authorization petition in Axess. Once a petition is approved, the MS candidate must complete a Program Proposal for a Master’s Degree form and submit it to student services. Students may apply in Axess for MS degree conferral upon completion of the requirements for this degree. The MS degree must be awarded within the university’s candidacy period for completion of a master’s degree.

Minimum grade requirement

Any course intended to satisfy the PhD degree requirements must be taken for a letter grade if offered. A GPA of 3.0 or above is required at the end of the second quarter (or, potentially, a petition approved by the student's research advisor, any required co-advisor, and the department chair). In any case, a GPA of 3.0 or above is required at the end of the third quarter in order to continue in the PhD program. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 must be maintained.

To be advanced to PhD candidacy, students must secure a research dissertation adviser (and any required co-adviser) and complete a PhD candidacy examination. First, the research adviser and any required co-adviser must be established by the end of the second quarter in the PhD program. Failure to do so leads to termination of a student's study toward a PhD in Chemical Engineering; however, the student may continue to work toward an MS degree. Failure to obtain a doctoral adviser precludes any financial aid beyond that already awarded for which the student is still eligible. Second, the PhD candidacy examination before a faculty committee at the end of the fourth quarter consists of (a) a student’s oral presentation of their thinking about their research proposal and current progress; and (b) an examination by faculty members of the proposal specifics as well as the student’s understanding of the fundamental chemical, physical and biological concepts that govern the molecular behavior of the system being studied. Upon successful completion of this examination, candidates must submit an Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree form, approved by their research adviser(s), to departmental graduate student services within two months.

Teaching requirement

Teaching experience is considered an essential component of predoctoral training because it assists in further developing and refining candidates' skills in conveying what they know, think, and conclude, based on articulated assumptions and knowledge. All PhD candidates, regardless of the source of their financial support, are required to assist in teaching a minimum of two chemical engineering courses.

Reading committee requirement

Reading committee meetings are intended to be discussion sessions, which help to focus and guide the dissertation project; they are not examinations. By the end of the second year, all PhD candidates must assemble reading committees and submit Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee forms signed by research advisers to student services. By the beginning of their third year (or by the end of their ninth quarter), candidates should have had an initial meeting with the full reading committee. The faculty strongly encourage doctoral candidates to take advantage of the benefits of ongoing, yearly, full reading committee meetings. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule committee meetings and the faculty to respond in a timely manner to scheduling requests.  Students should assist in the maintenance of degree progress records by reporting the committee meeting dates to the student services manager.

Research poster requirement

Experience in analyzing and presenting one’s research to diverse audiences is also an essential component of predoctoral training. Faculty strongly encourage candidates to do so several times each year, starting in the second year. All candidates in their third year are required to prepare and present a research poster during the annual Mason Lecturers week in the spring quarter.

Dissertation and oral defense requirements

A dissertation based on a successful investigation of a fundamental problem in chemical engineering is required. A student is expected to have fulfilled all the requirements for this degree, including the completion of a dissertation approved by his or her research adviser(s) and reading committee members within approximately five calendar years after enrolling in the PhD program. Upon adviser approval(s), copies of the dissertation's final draft must be distributed to each reading committee member. No sooner than three weeks after this distribution, a student may schedule an oral examination. This examination is a dissertation defense, based on the candidate’s dissertation research, and is in the form of a public seminar followed by a private examination by the faculty members on the student’s oral examination committee. Satisfactory performance in the oral examination and acceptance of an approved dissertation by Graduate Degree Progress, Office of the University Registrar, leads to PhD degree conferral.

PhD minor in Chemical Engineering

An application for a PhD minor must be approved by both the major and minor departments. A student desiring a PhD minor in Chemical Engineering must work with a minor program adviser who has a faculty appointment in Chemical Engineering. This adviser must be included as a member of the student’s reading committee for the doctoral dissertation, and the entire reading committee must meet at least once and at least one year prior to the scheduling of the student’s oral examination. The department strongly prefers that regular meetings of the full reading committee start no later than the third year of graduate study or when the student is admitted to PhD candidacy. Besides, the Chemical Engineering faculty member who is the minor adviser must be a member of the student’s university oral examination committee.

The PhD minor program must include at least 20 units of graduate-level lecture courses (numbered at the 200 level or above) but may not include any 1- to 2-unit lecture courses in the 20-unit minimum. The list of courses must form a coherent program and must be approved by the minor program adviser and the chair of this department. All minor courses must be taken for a letter grade, and a GPA of at least 3.0 must be earned for these courses.

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Explore Our Department

Department of biochemistry, phd students, postdocs and scientists, why biochemistry.

Our core goals are to perform foundational research, mentor and train scientists, and foster a strong scientific community. Research in our laboratories ranges from atomic level investigation of biomolecules to integrated studies of organismal biology and disease.

Stanford Distinguished Fellow and Hanna Gray Fellow Maia Kinnebrew wins NIH DP5 Award https://commonfund.nih.gov/earlyindependence/AwardRecipients  ... Read More

Julia Salzman, PhD, started out as a statistician but couldn’t ignore the call of the natural world. She is now... Read More

https://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/2024-awards/Shan.html  ... Read More

Li lab identifies ENPP1 as innate immune checkpoint and on/off switch for breast cancer metastasis in patients  ... Read More

Konermann Lab/ARC Institute publishes an article on Deep learning and CRISPR-Cas13d ortholog discovery for optimized RNA targeting https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405471223003290?dgcid=coauthor... Read More

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Explore Graduate Programs

Doctoral Admissions

Use this page to explore admissions data for Stanford's research doctoral programs. While the most common doctoral degree across the university is the PhD, the JSD in Law and the DMA in Musical Arts are also included here. The MD and JD are considered to be professional degrees and are not included. Note that any year referenced in this dashboard refers to the academic year in which the applicant was intending to enroll. For example, an application submitted in September 2018 for the 2019-20 academic year would be counted under 2019-20. These data are limited to new, external applicants only. If you are interested in the Biosciences programs in the School of Medicine, please read the important note below the dashboard.

More information is available about  doctoral program enrollment and demographics , as well as  doctoral degree conferrals, time-to-degree, and graduation rates . Note that local variation in policy and practice regarding admission, matriculation, and degree conferral may affect the departmental and school-level metrics below.

Methodology & Definitions

Application counts.

Applicant counts are based on the number of applications to doctoral programs from new applicants only. Current students who are transferring into a doctoral program from another graduate program at Stanford without submitting a new application are not included. If an application was transferred between programs during the admission process, the application is counted under the final program for which it was considered, not the original program.

Application Years

Applications and offers of admission are counted in the year in which the applicant was intending to enroll. The year in this case encompasses the summer quarter through the following spring, so the 2018-2019 application year would include students who intended to matriculate in Summer 2018 through Spring 2019. If an applicant was admitted and decided to defer their enrollment, that application and offer of admission are counted in the later, deferred year instead of the original year. The majority of new doctoral students matriculate in either autumn or summer. As these dashboards are updated annually in the autumn, the data for the most recent year will not include applicants or admits for winter or spring.

Admit Rates

The admit rate is calculated by dividing the number of offers of admission by the total number of applications received.

An Important Note about Stanford Biosciences

Prospective students may only apply to a single doctoral program at a time, with the exception of the  14 programs in Stanford Biosciences . Beginning with the 2022-23 application period, prospective students in Biosciences are permitted to select up to two programs for consideration as part of their application. (Prior to the 2022-23 application cycle, students were able to and would commonly select up to three programs for consideration.) A successful applicant will only be offered admission to one of these programs, which may result in an artificially low admit rate for some of these programs.  These programs include:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Informatics
• Cancer Biology
• Chemical and Systems Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular and Cellular Physiology
• Neurosciences
• Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
• Structural Biology

Visit the  Graduate Admissions website  for more information about pursuing graduate study at Stanford.

The data are available for download in Google Drive .

• Data Source(s): PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, Institutional Research & Decision Support

Stanford University is committed to providing an online environment that is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. If you cannot access this content or use any features on this site, please contact  [email protected]  to obtain alternate formats.

You may submit feedback on this dashboard through the  feedback form .

BIOC-PHD - Biochemistry (PhD)

Program overview.

Office: Beckman Center, B400 Mail Code: 94305-5307 Phone: (650) 723-6161 Web Site:  https://biochemistry.stanford.edu/

Biochemistry is a department within the School of Medicine, with offices and labs in the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine at the Stanford Medical Center, the Shriram Center for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, and the Stanford Genome Technology Center. Undergraduates and graduate and medical school students may take courses the department offers.

The Department of Biochemistry focuses on the molecular basis of life by studying the structures and functions of proteins and nucleic acids, the control of development, molecular motors and the cytoskeleton, trafficking of proteins between organelles, regulation of gene expression, protein homeostasis, structure and design, genetic and epigenetic control of chromosome function, and the application of genomics, all toward the understanding of health and disease. Advanced courses in more specialized areas emphasize the most recent developments in biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, and molecular biology. These courses include the physical chemistry of proteins and nucleic acids, membrane biology and biochemistry, the cytoskeleton, mechanisms and regulation of nucleic acid replication and recombination, the biochemistry of bacterial and animal viruses, the molecular basis of morphogenesis, and the structure and function of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic chromosomes.

The Department of Biochemistry offers a PhD program that begins in autumn quarter of each year. The program of study is designed to prepare students for productive careers in biochemistry; its emphasis is training in research, and each student works closely with faculty members. Opportunities exist for directed reading and research in biochemistry and molecular biology using the most advanced research facilities, including those for light and electron microscopy, chromatography and electrophoresis, protein and nucleic acid purification, rapid kinetic analysis, synthesis and analysis, single-molecule analyses using laser light traps, microarray generation and analysis, and computer graphic workstation facilities for protein and nucleic acid structural analysis. Ongoing research uses a variety of organisms, from bacteria to animal cells.

Those applying for graduate study should have at least a baccalaureate degree and complete work in cell and developmental biology, basic biochemistry and molecular biology, and genetics. Also required are: at least one year of university physics; differential and integral calculus; and organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. The department is especially interested in applicants with research experience in biology or chemistry. Students must apply, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, by December for admission in the following autumn quarter.

Applications should be submitted at the Office of Graduate Admissions website. Applicants are notified by March 31 of decisions on their applications. The Biochemistry Department has made scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) optional on our application.

All applicants are urged to compete for non-Stanford fellowships or scholarships, and U.S. citizens should complete an application for a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Traineeship. Students receive financial support to cover ordinary living expenses; Stanford tuition costs are paid. Applicants for admission to the department are considered regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, or marital status.

Postdoctoral research training is available to graduates with a PhD or an MD degree. Qualified individuals may write to individual faculty members for further information.

Free Form Requisites

Students graduating with a PhD in Biochemistry from Stanford are expected to be generally proficient in four core scientific areas relevant to biochemical research and the specific scientific areas most relevant to their particular thesis projects. The four core proficiency areas are:

Quantitative Biochemistry and Biophysics

Molecular Biology

Cell Biology

Proficiency can be demonstrated by successfully completing graduate-level courses in each of these four areas or by other means with the permission of the graduate advisor.

In addition to the requirement for a PhD dissertation based on original research, students must complete six advanced courses in biochemistry and related areas among the 135 total units required for the Ph.D. The selection of these courses is tailored to fit the background and interests of each student.

A second requirement involves the submission of two research proposals. The student presents these proposals to a small committee of departmental faculty members responsible for monitoring the progress of student curricular and research programs and a journal club presentation. All PhD students must participate actively in the department’s seminar program. Students are encouraged to attend and present papers at regional and national meetings in cellular biochemistry and molecular biology. Teaching experience is an integral part of the PhD curriculum and is required for the degree. The Department of Biochemistry offers only an MS to students already enrolled in the PhD program. Students should contact the Graduate Studies advisor for more details.

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Research Scientist

Stephen hinshaw, phd.

Stephen earned his Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School in 2016. There, he studied chromosome segregation and was a member Stephen Harrison’s laboratory and the Program in Genetics and Genomics. As a postdoctoral fellow, Stephen used cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of large inner kinetochore protein assemblies. During this time, he was an HHMI fellow of the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation at Harvard Medical School and a visiting postdoctoral fellow at Janelia Research Campus in the laboratory of Niko Grigorieff. Stephen, who is originally from the Bay Area, returned to join the Gray laboratory at Stanford in 2021. He is interested in developing tools and therapeutics to perturb mitosis.

Wenzhi Ji, PhD

Wenzhi received his Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry from School of Pharmaceutical Science Tsinghua University in 2018 under the supervision of Professor Xuebin Liao. During his Ph.D. he focused on total synthesis of natural products and developing novel methodologies to access bioactive molecules. After post-doctoral training focusing on developing new protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors in Zhong-Yin Zhang’s lab in Purdue University, he joined Gray lab in 2020. Currently he is working on development new therapeutics targeting cancer treatment.

Zhengnian Li, PhD

Zhengnian received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from GIBH, CAS (China) in 2016. After post-doctoral training focusing on the discovery of kinase inhibitors of TNK1/2, CDK11 and EGFR, and development of anti-viral inhibitors against Dengue and Zika, and degrader molecules for BTK, Wee1 in Nathanael Gray lab of Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine. Then, Zhengnian was promoted to research scientist in 2022. He is interested in developing of small-molecule inhibitors for cancer, as well as developing bifunctional small molecules induced proximity of the native system.

Wenchuan Liang, PhD

Wen received her PhD in biophysical chemistry from UC Berkeley. After post-doctoral training in the Biochemistry Department at Stanford University, she worked for the Department of Developmental Biology, the Stem Cell Institute, and the Stanford Cancer Institute (as Senior Research Scientist). Wen has been interested in cancer research and worked on projects including exploring imaging markers for tumor boundaries, potential oncolytic viral therapies, and therapeutic targets for HER2+ breast cancer. She joined the Gray Lab in 2021 to help manage the lab.

Lushun Wang, PhD

Lushun received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology at Peking University under the supervision of Professor Tao Ye. During his Ph.D. he focused on total syntheses of marine natural products. After post-doctoral training focusing on photocatalysis and fluorescent probes in Ting Wang’s group at SUNY Albany and Han Xiao’s group at Rice University, respectively, he joined Gray lab in 2022. Currently, he is interested in the development of novel therapeutics for cancer treatment.

Tinghu Zhang, PhD

Dr. Zhang is a senior scientist at Cancer Institute of Stanford. Dr. Zhang is an experienced medicinal chemist and chemical biologist. Dr. Zhang leads and supervises drug discovery projects with the targets of kinases and transcription regulators. His research focuses on the discovery of covalent modality and protein degradation. Prio to Stanford, Dr. Zhang was a senior scientist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he has led the discoveries of covalent inhibitor of CDK7, CDK12/13, JNK, PIP4K, MKK4, Src and TEAD and degrader molecules for CDK12, CDK4/6, FGFR1/2, CDK2/5 et al. Under his leadership, Dr. Zhang has contributed several prototype chemical leads for further drug development including THZ1. Dr. Zhang was also a chemistry group leader at the Center of Protein Degradation (CPD) of Dana-Farber from 2018 to 2021. Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D on chemistry from USTC (China) in 2004.

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Xianmixinuer abulaiti, phd.

Xianmixinuer received her PhD in Cell Biology from Peking University in 2017 under the supervision of Prof. Lingsong Li. Her Ph.D. works mainly focus on cellular processes that drive neurological disorders. After receiving her PhD, she worked on the dynamics of stress granules in the etiology and pathology of human disease. Xianmixinuer joined Gray lab in October, 2022 as a postdoctoral scholar. She is interested in development of protein degradation as a means of targeting undruggable proteins for inhibition.

Woong Sub Byun, PhD

Woong Sub received his Ph.D. in College of Pharmacy Seoul National University in 2021 under the supervision of Prof. Sang Kook Lee. During his Ph.D., he focused on discovering anticancer agents from bioactive natural products or related synthetic compounds and further elucidating their underlying molecular mechanism in various cancers. After receiving his Ph.D., he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Seoul National University for a year and focused on research about cancer drug resistance and metastasis. He joined Gray lab in April, 2022 as a postdoctoral scholar, and he is interested in the development of small-molecule inhibitors and degraders as novel therapeutics for cancer and inflammation.

Brendan Dwyer, PhD

Brendan received his Ph.D. at The Scripps Research Institute in 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Alexander Adibekian. During his Ph.D., Brendan developed chemoproteomic methods for activity-based and reactivity-based protein profiling of photoswitchable serine hydrolase inhibitors and of kinetically tunable clickable cysteine probes. Furthermore, he also performed natural product target identification for novel anticancer and degradation-based therapeutic strategies. Brendan joined Prof. Gray’s laboratory as a postdoctoral scholar interested in developing novel cancer therapeutics through targeted chemically induced proximity strategies.

Qixiang Geng, PhD

Qixiang received his PhD in organic chemistry from Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, CAS in 2021 under the supervision of Prof. Dawei Ma. His PhD studies mainly focused on the divergent synthesis of hetidine-type C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloids. Qixiang joined Prof. Nathanael Gray‘s lab in April 2022 and he is currently a postdoctoral scholar.

Sai Gourisankar, PhD

Sai earned his Ph.D. at Stanford Chemical Engineering in 2023. As a member of Gerald Crabtree’s laboratory in Stanford Developmental Biology, he studied ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling and led the development of chemical inducers of proximity to rewire transcription factors in cancer, focusing on B cell lymphomas. Prior to coming to Stanford, he studied Public Policy and History as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford and was an undergraduate at the University of Texas, Austin. In the Gray lab, Sai is interested in all aspects of developing proximity therapeutics to target misregulated transcription in cancers and developmental disorders.

Muhammad Murtaza Hassan , MSc, PhD

Murtaza is a chemical biologist that joined the Gray Lab in July 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher. He developed his love for medicinal chemistry and chemical biology at the undergraduate level at the University of Toronto which then motivated him to pursue an MSc (York University, Supervisor: Prof. Edward Lee-Ruff, 2017) and PhD (University of Toronto, Supervisor: Patrick T. Gunning, 2021) in the field. His PhD work involved the development of some of the most potent and selective HDAC8 inhibitors known-to-date. It incorporated inhibitors with L-shaped conformational constraints to compliment the L-shaped HDAC8 pocket. His current work at the Gray Lab revolves around the development of first-in-class covalent inhibitors for recently discovered epigenetic targets that have been shown to synergize with anticancer immunotherapy. Additionally, he is interested in developing small-molecule chemoproteomic tools that can potentially expand our ability to target otherwise undruggable proteins, by using protein-protein interactions for cross-labelling/drugging interacting proteins.

Fen Jiang, PhD

Fen received his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from China Pharmaceutical University in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. Qidong You. After receiving his Ph.D., he worked in WuXi AppTec for nearly 5 years. His studies during Ph.D. and in WuXi mainly focused on small-molecule drug discovery. Fen joined Gray lab in March, 2023 as a postdoctoral scholar. He is interested in the development of novel modulators targeting cancer related proteins.  

Ji Hyeon (Lily) Kim, PhD

Ji Hyeon (Lily) Kim received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Korea University in August 2023, under the guidance of Prof. Jong Seung Kim. During her Ph.D., Ji Hyeon focused on developing prodrugs (small molecule drug conjugates), photosensitizers, and fluorescent probes targeting cancer stem cells, with the goal of inhibiting cancer metastasis. Subsequently, in September 2023, Ji Hyeon joined the Gray laboratory as a postdoctoral scholar. Her current research intersets are the development of novel cancer therapeutics through chemical inducers of proximity and focusing on cancer metabolism.

Huiqi Ni, PhD

Huiqi was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She earned her BS degree in 2019 from the University of Science and Technology of China, where she carried out undergraduate research under the direction of Prof. Xi-Sheng Wang (2016–2019). She joined the laboratory of Prof. Keary M. Engle at Scripps Research for Ph.D. studies (2019–2023), with the focus on palladium-catalyzed annulation reactions. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Nathanael Gray‘s lab.

Md Abdullah Al Noman, PhD

Noman, originally from Bangladesh, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. He completed his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry in 2023 at the University of Minnesota under the mentorship of Dr. Gunda Georg. His Ph.D. work focused on development of RARalpha antagonists as male contraceptive agents and synthesis of natural product pironetin analogs as anticancer agents. As a postdoctoral scholar in Gray Lab, Noman explores the “undruggable” target space, employing novel medicinal chemistry tools. Outside the lab, Noman enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling.

Tian Qiu , PhD

Tian was born in Wuhan, China. He did undergraduate study in Tsinghua University (B.SC., 2009-2013) and then served as a research assistant in Prof. Yan-mei Li’s lab (2014-2016). Then he did his Ph.D. studies at the University of Chicago in Prof. Bryan Dickinson lab (2017-2022), with the focus on developing chemical tools for protein S-palmitoylation studies and novel proximity dependent labeling techniques. He joined Prof. Nathanael Gray’s lab in October 2022 as postdoctoral researcher.

Jaylissa Torres Robles, PhD

Jaylissa was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where she earned a B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey. She then moved to Connecticut and earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Biology and Biochemistry at Yale University under the supervision of Professor Benjamin Turk. Her doctoral studies, funded by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, focused on developing a screening platform to study the role of short linear motifs in mediating Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) specificity at conserved non-catalytic docking sites. In this effort, she identified new p38a-selective docking motifs, discovered new MAPK substrates, and defined the molecular basis for selective disruption of substrate docking and pathway rewiring by cancer-associated ERK mutants. She joined the Gray Laboratory as a postdoctoral scholar interested in developing strategies to induce molecular proximity of therapeutic targets and investigate the function of understudied kinases.

Roman Sarott, PhD

Roman earned his PhD at ETH Zürich in May 2021. His doctoral research under the supervision of Prof. Erick M. Carreira focused on the development of fluorescent and photoswitchable probes for the study of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. Roman joined the Gray laboratory as a postdoctoral scholar in November 2021. He is interested in targeted, posttranslational protein modification using chemical inducers of proximity in the context of novel cancer therapeutics. 

Yaning Wang , PhD

Yaning did her Ph.D. studies at Institute of chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2015-2018) & Tsinghua University (2018-2021) in Prof. Sanzhong Luo’s lab, with the focus on asymmetric amino and transition metal catalysis. She joined Gray lab in April 2022 and is interested in the development of small-molecule kinase inhibitors and degraders.

Zhe Zhuang, PhD

Zhe Zhuang was born in Zhoushan, China. He received predoctoral training in Prof. Wei-Wei Liao’s lab (B.Sc., 2013, Jilin University) and Prof. Zhi-Xiang Yu’s lab (2014−2015, Peking University). He did his Ph.D. studies at Scripps Research in Prof. Jin-Quan Yu’s lab (2015−2021), with the focus on C−H functionalization of native substrates. He is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in Prof. Nathanael Gray‘s lab.

Graduate Student

Leyna duong.

Leyna is a graduate student in the Chemical and Systems Biology Department at Stanford. She graduated from MIT in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology. During her time at MIT, she worked in Dr. Angela Koehler’s lab on discovering potential small molecule inhibitors for LIN28 to study its role in glioblastoma development. Leyna joined the Gray Lab in 2023 with an interest in developing therapeutics utilizing induced proximity strategies and small molecule inhibitors.

Esther Elonga

Esther is an MD/PhD candidate at Stanford University. She is interested in not only caring for patients but also being at the forefront of discovering therapies that could help them. She graduated from Harvard University in 2021 where she studied chemistry and educational studies. At Harvard, under the supervision of Dr. Anna Greka at the Broad Institute, her undergraduate research focused on a rare kidney disease called Mucin 1 kidney disease (MKD) and the therapeutic effects of a newly discovered compound BRD4780. In the Gray lab, Esther is interested in the development of small molecule inhibitors and targeted protein degraders as novel therapeutics.

Ryan Golden

Ryan is a graduate student in the Chemistry Department at Stanford. He graduated from UC Berkeley in the Fall of 2021 with a BS in Chemistry where he worked with Dr. Evan Miller on the development and optimization of novel, small-molecule, fluorescent probes used for cellular imaging. Ryan then joined the Gray Lab in January of 2022 as a Life Science Research Professional before joining the PhD program at Stanford later that year. In the Spring of 2023 he returned to the Gray Lab to begin his graduate studies focusing on potential cancer therapeutics that induce post-translational protein modifications via Transcriptional Chemical Inducers of Proximity (TCIPs) and other small-molecule proximity modulators.

Zixuan Jiang

Zixuan is a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University. Originally from China, She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2022, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. She joined the Gray Lab in spring 2023 with an interest in discovering new degrader pharmacology and developing novel cancer therapeutics tackling undruggable targets through induced proximity-driven strategies.

Basel Karim

Basel is a graduate student in the Chemistry Department at Stanford University. He graduated from Penn State, where he received his B.S. in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and Chemistry. During his undergraduate studies, he worked with Dr. Xin Zhang on the development of fluorescent probes to monitor protein aggregation processes. In the Gray lab, Basel is interested in using Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) to study cancer pathways, as well as develop other heterobifunctional proximity modulators to induce new post-translational modifications.

Meredith Nix

Meredith is originally from Oakland, California, and graduated from Scripps College in 2019 with a degree in biochemistry. She then worked at the National Cancer Institute as a post-baccalaureate fellow in Dr. Martin Schnermann’s lab. There, she focused on cyanine dyes and targeted drug delivery in pediatric liver cancer. She is now a graduate student in the chemistry department.

Hlib Razumkov

Hlib was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. After studying at the University of Toronto for two years he transferred to the University of Tokyo, where he worked under supervision of Prof. Eiichi Nakamura on iron- and chromium-catalyzed C-H activation reaction development. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in chemistry and joined Stanford Chemistry Department in 2020. He pursues his PhD studies in the Gray lab, focusing on covalent fragment library assembly and screening and mechanism-driven small molecules design for selective protein inhibition. In his free time, he likes to play volleyball and watch anime and movies.

Michelle Tang

Michelle is a graduate student in the department of Chemical & Systems Biology also being jointly advised by Dr. Steven Corsello. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in the fall of 2021 with a B.A. in Molecular & Cell Biology. Her undergraduate work under Dr. Daniel Nomura focused on the discovery of covalent inhibitors against the glutathione synthesis enzyme glutamate-cysteine ligase for cancer therapy. Michelle is excited to bridge the strengths of the Gray Lab and the Corsello Lab to develop novel therapeutic strategies for cancer and to uncover the mechanisms of action for small molecules that exhibit unexpected anti-cancer activity.

Jianing Zhong

Jianing is a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University. She graduated from Imperial College London in 2022, where she received her MSci in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry. At Imperial, she worked with Dr. James A. Bull on developing new methodologies towards the synthesis of functionalized 4-membered heterocycles. She joined the Gray Lab in 2023 with an interest in developing bifunctional molecules as proximity inducers and chemical modifiers for oncology indications.

Xijun was born in Guangzhou, China. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2021 with a BS in Chemistry. Under the supervision of Prof. Liming Zhang, her undergraduate research focused on gold(I)-catalyzed stereoselective glycosylation. She joined the Stanford Chemistry Department in 2021 and is currently a graduate student in the Gray Lab.

Research Staff

Ivan davidek.

Ivan is a lab assistant in the Gray Lab. He graduated from UC Davis in 2022 with a BS in biochemistry and a minor in bioinformatics. His professional interests involve computational drug design and neuropharmacology, and he is interested in learning more about the fragment-based design of covalent inhibitors.

Hannah Marie Jones

Hannah is a Life Science Research Professional in the Gray Laboratory. She joined the group in 2023. From Salem, Oregon, Hannah graduated from Willamette University with a BS in Chemistry with a Biochemistry focus in 2023. She is excited to learn more about activity-based protein profiling and the application of proteomics.

Michael Martinez

Originally from Ontario, California, Michael graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Chemistry. After graduation, he worked at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the Biomedical Isotope Facility under the Department of Cellular and Tissue Imaging. While there, he helped synthesize radiopharmaceuticals that were used for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging to aid in the study of biological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia as well as the process of brain aging. He joined the Gray Lab as a Life Science Research Professional in 2023 with an interest in drug discovery and the study of small molecules that can be used in cancer therapeutics.

Anuradha Thathireddy

Anu earned her post graduate degree in Plant sciences from Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India. She worked in Prof.T.Pullaiah’s lab as a CSIR fellow on Somatic embryogenesis and synthetic seed production in endangered plant spp. She then worked at the international crops research institute, Hyderabad on agro-bacterium mediated transformation of chickpea and regeneration of insect resistant transgenic varieties. After coming to US, she worked in Prof.Sweet-Cordero’s lab, Stanford where she developed keen interest in Cancer biology. In the Gray lab She is enthusiastic about delving into the field of prodrug research, particularly focusing on small molecule inhibitors and protein degraders.

Former Group Members

Jinhua Wang, PhD Christina Seo Jason Tse Ani Chouldjian Inchul You, PhD Erhan Keles, PhD Wenchao Lu, PhD Sean Toenjes, PhD Sihui Yang, PhD Elena Chai Ryan Golden Xiaofan Liu, PhD Mingxing Teng, PhD Guangyan Du, PhD Behnam Nabet, PhD Eric Wang, PhD Mengyang Fan, PhD Nick Kwiatkowski, PhD Jie Jiang, PhD Ryosuke Ishida, PhD Eriko Koide Hojong Yoon, PhD JaeHyun Bae, PhD Christopher M. Browne, PhD Quan Cai, PhD Jae Won Chang Spandan Chennamadhavuni, PhD Hwan Geun Choi, PhD Yongmun Choi, PhD Dries De Clercq, PhD Xianming Deng, PhD Dennis Dobrovolsky, PhD Zainab Doctor, PhD Fleur Ferguson, PhD Ben Fram Yang Gao, PhD Lara Gechijian, PhD Brian Groendyke, PhD Mingfeng Hao Young Jin Ham, PhD Zhixiang He Nathaniel J. Henning Hubert Hai-Tsang Huang, Wooyoung Hur, PhD Jaebong Jang, PhD Baishan Jiang, PhD Liv Johannessen, PhD Sivapriya Kirubakaran, PhD Alan L. Leggett Pi-Chun Li, PhD ​Yina Li Yanke Liang, PhD Sang Min Lim, PhD Qingsong Liu, PhD Yao Liu, PhD Theresa Manz Chandra Miduturu, PhD Mikaela Mohardt Calla Olson, PhD Michael Pacold, MD Alexander Parent, MD, PhD Benika Pinch, PhD Chelsea Powell, PhD Suman Rao, PhD David Remillard, PhD Carmen Sivakumaren, PhD Mizutani Takashi, PhD Chun Pong Tam Li Tan, PhD Carson Thoreen, PhD Alyssa Verano, PhD David L. Waller, PhD Kenneth D. Westover, MD, PhD Amy L. Wojciechowski Ting Xie, PhD Yuan Xiong, PhD Mei Zeng, PhD Jianming Zhang, PhD Wenjun Zhou, PhD

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Nathanael Gray, PhD

The Krishnan-Shah Family Professor and a professor of chemical and systems biology has received the American Association for Cancer Research’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research. The award is in recognition of Gray’s work on pioneering innovative structure-based chemical biology approaches to designing and developing protein inhibitors and degraders that have revolutionized the future of cancer therapeutics, and for spearheading novel combinatorial chemistry and genomic approaches that have resulted in the development of several cancer therapies. Learn more here.

About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu .

Graduate student activities fee to increase by almost 70%

Activity fees for graduate students may increase from $38 to over $64 next academic year, after the Graduate Student Council (GSC) approved a 72% budget increase driven largely by rising annual grants. 

At Tuesday’s meeting, GSC members unanimously approved the council’s budget for the 2024-2025 academic year, which increased from $1,048,611.38 this year to $1,805,113.13. The bulk of the growth comes from annual grants, which will increase more than sixfold.

More than 43% of the hike in next year’s annual grants total will go to restoring funding for joint student groups — groups with mixed undergraduate and graduate membership — that the council did not fund last year, according to GSC funding committee chair and fourth-year physics Ph.D. student Tom Liu. These groups include the Stanford Speakers Bureau and Black Family Gathering Committee.

Another 28.2% increase will go toward grants for joint groups already funded by the council, and an additional 17.3% will go to funds for new joint groups that were previously deemed undergraduate organizations, such as the Stanford Powwow and Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band.

Some GSC members raised the possibility of reducing the student activities fee by decreasing annual grant amounts. According to Liu, though, reductions in annual grant amounts will marginally affect the activities fee but be felt very strongly by voluntary student organizations (VSOs). A $3 reduction in each student’s activities fee would lead to a 10% reduction in the annual grant budget overall, he said.

Perry Nielsen Jr. M.S. ’24, ASSU executive director for graduate student affairs, said that while the substantial activities fee increase is “shocking,” it is not as significant compared to other living expenses at Stanford.

“If we do see a reaction from the student body, it could put more pressure on administration to really address affordability at scale,” Nielsen Jr. said of the activities fee increase. “I don’t think we should be suggesting cuts in social activities for graduate students when that’s already something that we are really trying to prioritize.”

Council members agreed that next year’s numbers will set a baseline for the GSC’s budget moving forward. GSC co-chair and fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student Emmit Pert said this year’s budget amounts were “very anomalous,” since GSC did not “pay for a lot of things that we could have paid for.”

“The increases are pretty large, but they are not as large as they look on paper one year after the other,” Pert said.

“The GSC hasn’t been very active until recently, so there has been no baseline to compare against,” Liu said. He added that the council had only given “a handful of grants” prior to 2020.

In a humorous turn of the meeting, GSC at-large representative and civil and environmental engineering master’s student Leon de Souza proposed a “Bill to Improve Mental Health on Campus” as the last agenda item of the night.

“Uncharacteristic spells of rain have caused a shadow, both literally and metaphorically, on our campus,” de Souza said, followed by laughter from GSC members.

The bill calls on the University to implement a “comprehensive cloud ban” and decrees that “no puddles exceeding 500 milliliters in volume shall be permitted on university campus grounds.” Further, it proposes that excess water be directed into Lake Lagunita to facilitate the community’s enjoyment of water sports on the lake.

“Let’s vote in favor to safeguard our mental health, our academic productivity and the legacy of sunny Stanford,” de Souza said, bringing a smile to many faces.

Yuanlin "Linda" Liu ‘25 is the vol. 265 Academics Desk Editor and Magazine editor. She was previously Managing Editor of the Arts & Life section during vol. 263 and 264. Contact her at lliu 'at' stanforddaily.com.

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New high-speed microscale 3D printing technique

A new process for microscale 3D printing creates particles of nearly any shape for applications in medicine, manufacturing, research and more – at the pace of up to 1 million particles a day.

The 3D-printed DeSimone lab logo, featuring a buckyball geometry, demonstrates the r2rCLIP system’s ability to produce complex, non-moldable shapes with micron-scale features. (Image credit: DeSimone Research Group, SEM courtesy of Stanford Nano Shared Facilities)

3D-printed microscopic particles, so small that to the naked eye they look like dust, have applications in drug and vaccine delivery, microelectronics, microfluidics, and abrasives for intricate manufacturing. However, the need for precise coordination between light delivery, stage movement, and resin properties makes scalable fabrication of such custom microscale particles challenging. Now, researchers at Stanford University have introduced a more efficient processing technique that can print up to 1 million highly detailed and customizable microscale particles a day.

“We can now create much more complex shapes down to the microscopic scale, at speeds that have not been shown for particle fabrication previously, and out of a wide range of materials,” said Jason Kronenfeld , PhD candidate in the DeSimone lab at Stanford and lead author of the paper that details this process, published today in Nature .

This work builds on a printing technique known as continuous liquid interface production, or CLIP, introduced in 2015 by DeSimone and coworkers. CLIP uses UV light, projected in slices, to cure resin rapidly into the desired shape. The technique relies on an oxygen-permeable window above the UV light projector. This creates a “dead zone” that prevents liquid resin from curing and sticking to the window. As a result, delicate features can be cured without ripping each layer from a window, leading to faster particle printing.

“Using light to fabricate objects without molds opens up a whole new horizon in the particle world,” said Joseph DeSimone, the Sanjiv Sam Gambhir Professor in Translational Medicine at Stanford Medicine and corresponding author of the paper. “And we think doing it in a scalable manner leads to opportunities for using these particles to drive the industries of the future. We’re excited about where this can lead and where others can use these ideas to advance their own aspirations.”

Roll to roll

The process that these researchers invented for mass producing uniquely shaped particles that are smaller than the width of a human hair is reminiscent of an assembly line. It starts with a film that is carefully tensioned and then sent to the CLIP printer. At the printer, hundreds of shapes are printed at once onto the film and then the assembly line moves along to wash, cure, and remove the shapes – steps that can all be customized based on the shape and material involved. At the end, the empty film is rolled back up, giving the whole process the name roll-to-roll CLIP, or r2rCLIP. Prior to r2rCLIP, a batch of printed particles would need to be manually processed, a slow and labor-intensive process. The automation of r2rCLIP now enables unprecedented fabrication rates of up to 1 million particles per day.

The r2rCLIP setup in the DeSimone lab runs from right to left. The printing occurs at the area below the red piece. (Image credit: DeSimone Research Group)

If this sounds like a familiar form for manufacturing, that’s intentional.

“You don’t buy stuff you can’t make,” said DeSimone, who is also professor of chemical engineering in the School of Engineering . “The tools that most researchers use are tools for making prototypes and test beds, and to prove important points. My lab does translational manufacturing science – we develop tools that enable scale. This is one of the great examples of what that focus has meant for us.”

There are tradeoffs in 3D printing of resolution versus speed . For instance, other 3D printing processes can print much smaller – on the nanometer scale – but are slower. And, of course, macroscopic 3D printing has already gained a foothold (literally) in mass manufacturing, in the form of shoes, household goods, machine parts, football helmets, dentures, hearing aids, and more. This work addresses opportunities in between those worlds.

“We’re navigating a precise balance between speed and resolution,” said Kronenfeld. “Our approach is distinctively capable of producing high-resolution outputs while preserving the fabrication pace required to meet the particle production volumes that experts consider essential for various applications. Techniques with potential for translational impact must be feasibly adaptable from the research lab scale to that of industrial production.”

Hard and soft

The researchers hope that the r2rCLIP process sees wide adoption by other researchers and industry. Beyond that, DeSimone believes that 3D printing as a field is quickly evolving past questions about the process and toward ambitions about the possibilities.

“r2rCLIP is a foundational technology,” said DeSimone. “But I do believe that we’re now entering a world focused on 3D products themselves more so than the process. These processes are becoming clearly valuable and useful. And now the question is: What are the high-value applications?”

For their part, the researchers have already experimented with producing both hard and soft particles, made of ceramics and of hydrogels. The first could see applications in microelectronics manufacturing and the latter in drug delivery in the body.

“There’s a wide array of applications, and we’re just beginning to explore them,” said Maria Dulay, senior research scientist in the DeSimone lab and co-author of the paper. “It’s quite extraordinary, where we’re at with this technique.”

Additional co-authors are Lukas Rother, who was a visiting master’s student at the time of this work, and Max Saccone, a postdoctoral scholar in chemical engineering and radiology. DeSimone is also a professor, by courtesy, in chemistry in the School of Humanities and Sciences , materials science and engineering in the School of Engineering, and operations, information, and technology in the Graduate School of Business . He is a member of Stanford Bio-X , the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance , and the Stanford Cancer Institute , and a faculty fellow of Sarafan ChEM-H , co-director of the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection , and founding faculty director of the Center for STEMM Mentorship at Stanford.

This research was funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Part of this work was performed at the Stanford Nano Shared Facilities, supported by the National Science Foundation.

To read all stories about Stanford science, subscribe to the biweekly   Stanford Science Digest .

PhD position in Polymer Chemistry towards Functional Materials

The PhD position is associated with the Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC), which is a joint research center including groups from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, and Linköping University with base funding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. WWSC is a research center with a focus on new materials from trees, aiming to create knowledge and build competence that has the potential to form the basis for an innovative future value creation from forest raw materials. You will become part of the WWSC academy, which is a graduate student school. In this academy, you will get an overview of the research field within renewable materials from wood and gain knowledge of topics not directly connected to your current research. During the academy, students will connect with each other and industry to nurture future collaborations. This will prepare them for becoming the scientists, inventors, and engineers for tomorrow´s Swedish forest value chain. Read more at www.wwsc.se

Your work assignments

Your research will be to develop polymerization concepts towards, transparent, functional, and chemical recyclable polymeric materials. Your particular focus will be on polymer chemistry methodology development with emphasis on macromolecular design.

Questions that may be explored during your PhD include:

• How can I translate the chemically behavior of a molecule to a polymerization concept?
• How to use system design to promote chemical recyclability?
• How to use macromolecular design to achieve a specific material function?

In particular, you will do:

• Polymerization optimization (dispersity, catalysis and control)
• Macromolecular design (block copolymers)
• Utilize relevant characterization techniques (e.g., NMR, mass, GPC, tensile, etc.).

Your PhD work will be crucial towards the development of new polymers for applications in chemically recyclable and functional materials, both within the GreenPolChem-group, and in the larger LOE and WWSC environment.

As a PhD student, you devote most of your time to doctoral studies and the research projects of which you are part. Your work may also include teaching or other departmental duties, up to a maximum of 20% of full-time.

Your qualifications

You have graduated at the master’s level in chemistry, organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, or another relevant field. Alternatively, you have completed courses in these fields with a minimum of 240 credits (corresponding to 4 years of study), of which at least 60 credits (1 year) must be in advanced courses.

For this position, most merit is given to completed courses, with excellent grades, in chemistry related subjects. In addition, excellent communication skills in written and spoken English is a requirement.

Merit is also given to experience of laboratory work and characterization (demonstrated through coursework, MSc project or published papers).

Furthermore, the suitable candidate should be highly self-motivated and show profound interest in fundamental research. Great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities and suitability.

Your workplace

The PhD position will be based at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE), belonging to the Department of Science and Technology, at the university’s Norrköping Campus. The LOE is renowned for its world-leading research on electronic devices based on organic electroactive materials. Its primary theme involves the coupling of ions and electrons as signal carriers for applications in printed electronics, organic energy- and electrochemical devices, and organic bioelectronics. Currently, the research staff of the Laboratory includes about 150 researchers (professors, senior and junior scientists and PhD students). Read more at www.liu.se/loe

The PhD student will be part of GreenPolChem-group, lead by Ass. Prof. Peter Olsén, that focus on Green Synthetic Chemistry Methodology Development for Functional and Sustainable Biobased Polymeric Materials. More information about our research can be found here: ‪Peter Olsén - ‪Google Scholar , Peter Olsén (researchgate.net) .

The employment

When taking up the post, you will be admitted to the program for doctoral studies. More information about the doctoral studies at each faculty is available at  Doctoral studies at Linköping University

The employment has a duration of four years’ full-time equivalent. You will initially be employed for a period of one year. The employment will subsequently be renewed for periods of maximum duration two years, depending on your progress through the study plan. The employment may be extended up to a maximum of five years, based on the amount of teaching and departmental duties you have carried out. Further extensions can be granted in special circumstances.

Starting date by agreement.

Salary and employment benefits

The salary of PhD students is determined according to a locally negotiated salary progression. The starting salary is 32 800 SEK per month before tax. The salary then increases after completing 30 % to 33 800 SEK, and 60% to 36 500 SEK of the PhD degree program, respectively.

As an employee of Linköping University, you are entitled to the following benefits:

• Paid vacation (28 workdays per year, corresponding to 5 ½ weeks).
• Paid maternity/paternity leave (up to 390 days per child).
• Other benefits are also available. A full list can be found here:

https://www.forsakringskassan.se/english/moving-to-working-studying-or-newly-arrived-in-sweden/social-insurance-system

More information about employment benefits at Linköping University is available here.

Union representatives

Information about union representatives, see Help for applicants .

Application procedure

Apply for the position by clicking the “Apply” button below. Your application must reach Linköping University no later than April 11, 2024.

Applications and documents received after the date above will not be considered.

Contact persons

Peter Olsén

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Renee Kroon

Associate Professor

+46 (0) 11363421

[email protected]

Martina Klefbeck

[email protected]

Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

🔍 dean of research, stanford, california, united states.

SCHOOL/UNIT DESCRIPTION: Sarafan ChEM-H is a new interdisciplinary institute focused on connecting Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health. The institute was founded as a joint venture of the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Humanities and Sciences. The proximity of world-class biologists, chemists, engineers, and clinicians at Stanford presents a unique opportunity to study human biology at a molecular level, to translate this knowledge into groundbreaking products and services that promote healthy living, and to educate a new cadre of “physician-scientist-engineers” who will lead a rapidly evolving industry.

Our VPDoR Diversity Journey:

• We create a hub of innovation through the power of diversity of disciplines and people. 
• We provide equitable access and opportunity to all members of the community in order to do their best work, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
• We listen to and value all colleagues who bring diverse perspectives to the advancement and development of a respectful community.  
• We promote a culture of belonging, equity, and safety.
• We embed these values in excellence of education, research, and operation.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Medicinal Chemistry Knowledge Center at Stanford ChEM-H is seeking a Research Scientist to join our team exploring a wide variety of small molecule therapeutics. You will perform and support complex lab experiments working independently to support various research projects. Your work will focus primarily on providing the design and synthesis of small molecules for biochemical and biological evaluation. In addition, you would be expected to manage chemists at CRO’s and function as a project leader. This work will contribute to several projects ongoing in the lab that are focused on developing novel therapeutics as part of Stanford’s Innovative Medicines Accelerator. Are you capable, interested in performing essential functions and activities involved in defined research projects, and able to independently conduct and analyze experiments? Then help us to forge a new generation of small molecule therapeutics from bench to bedside.

CORE DUTIES:

• Support scientific and research programs related to area of specialization; analyze data, monitor and oversee experimental process, and design and develop prototypes, specialized equipment, and/or systems.
• Modify, repair, and troubleshoot complex equipment and experimental systems.
• Prepare and review drawings, material lists, requisitions, job orders, engineering change requests, and other documents associated with development, fabrication, assembly, installations, and testing.
• Coordinate and work on scientific or engineering installations; plan and execute various phases of an operation, oversee schedule of equipment operations, and supervise routine maintenance.
• Acquire and maintain tools, equipment, and chemicals associated with experimental or engineering projects.
• Maintain documentation related to research studies and protocols, and perform administrative duties related to equipment and systems associated with research or engineering projects, as assigned.
• Liaise between researchers, students, technical staff, scientists, vendors, and other university staff; serve as a resource, providing training and practical guidance.
• Oversee the work of technicians and other staff associated with the group/projects, and provide guidance to technicians, operators, and others working in particular scientific or engineering function area.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Education & Experience: Associate degree or certificate of completion in a related engineering or related scientific discipline, or three years of equivalent work experience or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience applying scientific and engineering principles and practices to perform technical services and support.
• Experience with data analysis, experimental process, design, and development of prototypes, equipment, and/or systems related to area of specialization.
• Ability to write clear documentation, perform administrative duties, and research protocol maintenance related to research studies and/or scientific/engineering projects.
• Experience with software applications, systems, or programs relevant for the job.
• Ability to interpret and determine validity of data and check own work.
• Ability to communicate, liaise, and work with staff, students, faculty, and outside vendors.
• Ability to effectively supervise and train a diverse work staff.

Preferred experience and qualifications:

• BSc or MSc in Chemistry, with a focus on synthetic organic chemistry.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in drug discovery.
• Experience with NMR and LC-MS analysis of small molecules
• Knowledge of in vitro biochemical, biological and ADME assays
• Experience with laboratory safety and management of chemical inventory

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

• Frequently stand, walk, twist, bend, stoop, squat, grasp lightly, use fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, perform desk-based computer tasks, use telephone, write by hand, lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing over 40 pounds. 
• Occasionally sit, kneel, crawl, reach and work above shoulders, sort and file paperwork or parts. 
• Rarely climb, scrub, sweep, mop, chop and mix or operate hand and foot controls. 
• Must have correctable vision to perform duties of the job.
• Ability to bend, squat, kneel, stand, reach above shoulder level, and move on hard surfaces for up to eight hours.
• Ability to lift heavy objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work in a dusty, dirty, and odorous environment.
• Position may require repetitive motion.

*Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources at [email protected] . For all other inquiries, please submit a contact form .

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• May be exposed to high voltage electricity, radiation or electromagnetic fields, lasers, noise > 80dB TWA, Allergens/Biohazards/Chemicals /Asbestos, confined spaces, working at heights ?10 feet, temperature extremes, heavy metals, unusual work hours or routine overtime and/or inclement weather.
• May require travel.

WORK STANDARDS:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

Language for hybrid or on-site arrangements The expected pay range for this position is $78,000 to $105,000 per annum. Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards ) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

Why Stanford is for You Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enrich the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:

●    Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit a course. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak. ●    A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources. ●    A healthier you. Climb our rock wall, or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits. ●    Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums. ●    Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more!

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned. Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

• Schedule: Full-time
• Job Code: 4991
• Employee Status: Regular
• Requisition ID: 102565
• Work Arrangement : On Site

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