Chad A. Mirkin awarded Willard Gibbs medal

The Chicago Local Section of the American Chemical Society has selected Chad A. Mirkin as the recipient of the 2025 Willard Gibbs Award. Mirkin is the director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology and the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University. This award honors scientists whose pioneering work has opened new frontiers in chemical research.

Mirkin is recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the development of methods, tools, and innovations in the field of nanotechnology. His award lecture will focus on spherical nucleic acids (SNAs): synthetic constructs with no natural counterparts that exhibit valuable interactions with biological systems. SNAs form the foundation of over 1,600 commercial tools and can be applied to/in gene regulation and editing, as well as to vaccine development. Seven SNA-based compounds are currently being evaluated in clinical trials for treating diseases such as glioblastoma, psoriasis, and various neurological disorders. The SNA architecture is a cornerstone of the emerging field of structural nanomedicine. Mirkin’s 3 decades of SNA research have transformed the way scientists and medical professionals understand, track, and treat diseases.

The ACS Chicago Local Section will host the award celebration on May 16. More information is available at chicagoacs.org.