Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead

What if the next industrial revolution is happening molecule-by-molecule? In this episode we explore this idea with Robert Macfarlane, PhD, a Northwestern alumni and MIT materials scientist who is pioneering programmable materials that self-assemble and respond to their environment. Macfarlane explains how his work moves beyond DNA-based assembly to create scalable nanomaterials with real-world potential—from flexible electronics and biomedical devices to photonic materials that manipulate light.

Guest: Robert J. Macfarlane, Richard P. Simmons (1953) Professor in Metallurgy, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Er...

Dr. Ludmilla Aristilde is an expert in environmental chemistry, environmental biochemistry, and bioengineering, but at the heart of it all is nanoscience. In this episode of Nanoscape Atistilde talks about her research, which includes discoveries in microplastics and nanoplastics and why nanoscience plays a key role in her research group's activities which aims to  gain a fundamental understanding of the "why" and "how" of the environmental behavior of organics, with implications for nutrient cycling, ecosystem health, agricultural productivity, and environmental biotechnology.

Guest: Ludmilla Aristilde, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering,  Northwestern University

...

Professor Nicholas Peppas has spent five decades defining the field of medical nanotechnology and shaping the very foundations of modern drug delivery. He has been awarded the 2025 Kabiller Prize in nanoscience and nanomedicine by The International Institute for Nanotechnology. The $250,000 award — the world's largest monetary award in the field — recognizes his pioneering research, which has transformed how some of the world's most difficult diseases are treated. In this episode, Peppas talks about his influential career spanning over five decades and his journey from early polymer research to groundbreaking innovations like oral insulin delivery and his predictions for the future of n...

Ted Sargent is a global leader in nanoscience and materials engineering, and his research at Northwestern University is advancing the field of solar energy harvesting by lowering its cost and increasing its efficiency by using nanoscale materials. His work also includes decarbonization in the chemical and fuel sectors alongside creating next-generation materials for consumer electronics. Sargent is the Lynn Hopton Davis and Greg Davis Professor of Chemistry, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Executive Director, Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy

Guest: Ted Sargent Lynn Hopton Davis and Greg Davis Professor of Chemistry, P...

At the intersection of nanoscience and chemistry, Omar Farha, PhD, Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University, is opening up new frontiers in climate resilience, water harvesting, catalysis and more through metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—versatile structures he describes as smart programmable sponges. In this episode he talks about taking on the role of chair, the legacy of those who came before him at Northwestern and discusses how the IIN is uniquely positioned to continue leading the field of nanotechnology.

Everyday items like tea bags and sponges are being reimagined in the lab of Northwestern University's Vinayak Dravid, who is using nanotechnology to tackle some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. In this episode he explains how his team is using nanotechnology to remove toxic metals in water with brewed tea leaves and soaking up oil spills using a special sponge he invented, and many more ways he is leveraging nature's chemistry and nanotechnology to help solve global problems.

Once a postdoctoral fellow with Chad Mirkin here at Northwestern University, Jarad Mason now leads his own research group within the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University where his research includes investigating the potential of nanoparticle-loaded water to extend organ viability for transplantation. In this episode he discusses the balance between academia and industry in pushing scientific boundaries, as well as the future directions of his research in energy, sustainability, and biomedical applications.

In this episode, Northwestern University chemist Roel Templaar, PhD, gives a glimpse into the intricacies of quantum mechanics and its applications in nanotechnology. He explains how his work challenges classical theories, particularly in the field of chiral light-matter interactions.

In this episode, Northwestern Medicine neuro-oncologist, Priya Kumthekar, MD, discusses her pioneering work in nanomedicine on an early clinical trial in individuals with the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma. The study showed an experimental spherical nucleic acid drug, developed by Northwestern University scientists, was able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and trigger the death of tumor cells. This was the first time a nanotherapeutic has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier. The study set a precedent at Northwestern University and has opened the door for similar studies and innovations to take place here.

Moving the chemical and energy industries away from fossil fuel consumption is going to require effective and sustainable energy solutions. Northwestern University's Dayne Swearer says nanotechnology is positioned to help make such solutions a reality. An assistant professor of Chemistry and a member of the IIN, Swearer's lab is actively engaged in pioneering efforts in plasmonic nanoparticles and groundbreaking applications in renewable energy. In this episode, he talks about projects underway in his lab and how climate change issues help motivate him to make a contribution to science that will help make the world a better place for tomorrow.<...

Northwestern University nanoscientist Nathan Gianneschi, PhD, has been fascinated by the interaction of the organic and the synthetic since the start of his career. His lab's discoveries have led to the development of synthetic melanin and polymers that can mimic cells. In this episode, he shares more about the potential biomedical applications of his research, the interdisciplinary partnerships that make his work possible and where to look for the future of nanotechnology.

Omar Farha is a top chemist whose pioneering work in metal-organic frameworks, known as MOFs, is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in nanotechnology in critical industrial sectors such energy, environmental sustainability and national defense. In this episode, Farha, the new chair of the Northwestern University Department of Chemistry, talks about MOFs vast applications in nanotechnology and how he has been able to successfully transition research on MOFs to commercial markets. He also discusses how members of the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University are leading "what science can do for humanity."

Guest: Omar Farha, Chair...

In a short amount of time, nanotechnology has become one of the most important scientific fields of the 21st century, promising to solve some of our world's most pressing challenges. Northwestern's International Institute for Nanotechnology continues to produce many leading edge discoveries in the field and has become home to some of the most productive nanotechnology researchers in the world. In this episode, Milan Mrksich, one of the world's leading engineers working at the interface between materials and biology and a member of the IIN Steering Committee, explains Northwestern's commitment to this multi-billion dollar field and shares some power...

Northwestern University has been a trailblazer of the relatively new field of nanoscience. Northwestern's International Institute for Nanotechnology has brought together some of the greatest minds in chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering for nearly 25 years. Inspired by Northwestern's work, in particular the biomedical application of materials, Shana Kelley, PhD, pursued a career in nanotechnology. A few years ago, she joined the institution that led her to the field. Now, as president of the new Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, Kelley leads innovators from across Chicago in their mission to understand and control inflammation, a primary driver of disease. Kelley's research h...

In this bonus episode of "Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead," you'll get a preview of the first season of this new podcast from the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) at Northwestern University with insight from Chad Mirkin, PhD, Director of IIN.  Find out more about IIN and what to expect from our first slate of guests, including Milan Mrksich,PhD, Shana Kelley, PhD, Omar Farha, PhD, and Nathan Gianneschi, PhD.

In the field of nanotechnology, the future is small, and the possibilities are endless. From combating climate change to improving human health, "Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead," introduces you to leading experts in the field who are uncovering nano-sized solutions to some of the most pressing issues impacting our world today. This podcast is produced by the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University.