Professor George M. Whitesides, Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA, celebrates his 85th birthday on August 3, 2024. An extremely well-known and versatile chemist, Whitesides has explored almost every research area, with his extensive work spanning NMR spectroscopy, microfluidics, nanotechnology, surface science, self-assembly, science for developing economies, the origin of life, and cell-surface biochemistry. He is known for his broad, effective approach and keen awareness of ongoing research.

George M. Whitesides, born August 3, 1939, in Louisville, KY, USA, earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, USA. After serving as an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA, he moved his laboratory to Harvard University in 1982. At Harvard, he has held the positions of chairman of the Chemistry Department (1986–1989) and associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (1989–1992).

Whitesides is the author of more than 1,200 scientific articles and holds over 80 patents. He has co-founded more than twelve companies, including Genzyme (purchased in 2011 by Sanofi), GelTex, Theravance, Surface Logix, Nano-Terra, and WMR Biomedical.

His numerous awards include the National Medal of Science (1998), the Kyoto Prize (2003), the Priestly Medal (2007), the Othmer Gold Medal (2010), the King Faisal International Prize in Chemistry (2013), and the Kavli Prize (2022).

 

Selected Publications

• Melting of a macroscale binary Coulombic crystal,
  Sarah Battat, David A. Weitz, George M. Whitesides,
  Soft Matter 2023.
  https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SM01635D
• Charge Transport Measured Using the EGaIn Junction through Self-Assembled Monolayers Immersed in Organic Liquids,
  Yuan Li, Samuel E. Root, Lee Belding, Junwoo Park, Hyo Jae Yoon, Cancan Huang, Mostafa Baghbanzadeh, George M. Whitesides,
  J. Phys. Chem. B 2023, 127(1), 407–424
  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07901
• Three-Dimensional Paper-Based Model for Cardiac Ischemia,
  B. Mosadegh, B. E. Dabriri, M. Lockett, R. Derda, P. Campbell, K. K. Parker, G. M. Whitesides,
  Adv. Healthcare Mater. 2014, 3, 1036-1043.
  https:doi.org/10.1002/adhm.201300575
• Introducing Ionic and/or Hydrogen Bonds into the SAM//Ga₂O₃ Top-Interface of AgTS/S(CH₂)_nT//Ga₂O₃/EGaIn Junctions,
  C. M. Bowers, K. C. Liao, H. J. Yoon, D. Rappoport, M. Baghbanzadeh, F. C. Simeone, G. M. Whitesides,
  Nano Letters 2014, 14, 3521-3526.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/nl501126e
• Separation and Enrichment of Enantiopure from Racemic Compounds Using Magnetic Levitation,
  X. Yang, S. Y. Wong, D. K. Bwambok, M. B. J. Atkinson, X. Zhang, G. M. Whitesides, A. S. Myerson,
  Chem. Comm. 2014, 50, 7548–7551.
  https://doi.org/10.1039/C4CC02604G
• Soft Actuators and Robots that are Resistant to Mechanical Damage,
  R. V. Martinez, A. Glavan, C. Keplinger, A. Oyetibo, G. M. Whitesides,
  Adv. Func. Mater. 2014, 24, 3003–3010.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201303676
• Replacing AgTSSCH₂-R with AgTSO₂C-R in EGaIn-Based Tunneling Junctions Does Not Significantly Change Rates of Charge Transport,
  K. C. Liao, H. J. Yoon, C. M. Bowers, F. C. Simeone, G. M. Whitesides,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53(15), 3889–3893.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201308472
• Using Magnetic Levitation to Separate Mixtures of Crystal Polymorphs,
  Manza B. J. Atkinson, David K. Bwambok, Jie Chen, Prashant D. Chopade, Martin M. Thuo, Charles R. Mace, Katherine A. Mirica, Ashok A. Kumar, Allan S. Myerson, George M. Whitesides,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201305549   
      Levitating Crystals, ChemistryViews. September 2013.
      Magnetic levitation separates crystal polymorphs by their density
• Patterned Paper as a Platform for Inexpensive, Low-Volume, Portable Bioassays,
  Andres W. Martinez, Scott T. Phillips, Manish J. Butte, George M. Whitesides,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007
  https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200603817
• The origins and the future of microfluidics,
  George M. Whitesides,
  Nature 2006, 442, 368–373.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05058
• Enzymes as Catalysts in Synthetic Organic Chemistry [New Synthetic Methods (53)],
  George M. Whitesides, Chi-Huey Wong,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1985, 24(8), 617–638.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.198506173
• Soft Lithography,
  Younan Xia, George M. Whitesides,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1998, 37(5), 550–575.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19980316)37:5<550::AID-ANIE550>3.0.CO;2-G

Intelligent Surfaces in Biotechnology: Scientific and Engineering Concepts, Enabling Technologies, and Translation to Bio-Oriented Applications H. Michelle Grandin, Marcus Textor, George M. Whitesides

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