David A. Tirrell Explained

David A. Tirrell
Birth Date:1953
Birth Place:Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
Nationality:American
Field:Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Workplaces:Carnegie-Mellon University, University of Massachusetts, California Institute of Technology
Alma Mater:University of Massachusetts
Doctoral Students:Kristi Kiick

David A. Tirrell (born 1953) is an American chemist and the Ross McCollum-William H. Corcoran Professor and professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).[1] A pioneer in the areas of polymer synthesis and protein biosynthesis, his research has a wide range of applications, including coatings, adhesion, lubrication, bioengineering and biomedical intervention. From 2012 to 2018, Tirrell was the director of the Beckman Institute at Caltech.[2], he serves as Caltech's Provost.[3] He is one of very few American scientists to have been elected to all three branches of the United States National Academies: the National Academy of Sciences (2006), the National Academy of Engineering (2008), and the Institute of Medicine (2011). He was elected a Member of the American Philosophical Society in 2019.

Early life and education

Tirrell earned a B.S. in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1974. He received a Ph.D. in 1978 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where his thesis advisor was Professor Otto Vogl. In 1978, he held a postdoctoral position at Kyoto University.[4]

Career

Tirrell was a faculty member in the department of chemistry at Carnegie-Mellon University from 1978 to 1984. He served as the director of the materials research laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1978 to 1998. He moved to Caltech in 1998 and served as chairman of the division of chemistry and chemical engineering at Caltech from 1999 until 2009. He edited the Journal of Polymer Science from 1988 to 1999.[5]

Tirrell applies principles from biology and chemistry to polymer synthesis. Recognizing that most synthetic polymers are mixtures, rather than pure substances, he developed pioneering techniques for the creation of precisely-defined polymers of uniform structure.[6] Tirrell and his co-workers have formed crystals, liquid crystals and gels with predetermined, programmable molecular architectures and accompanying properties.[7] His work in macromolecular synthesis underlies the development of "smart" materials, which respond to external cues like temperature, pH, chemical reagents, or light.[8] [9]

Tirrell has gone on to make important contributions to protein biosynthesis, effectively reprogramming the genetic code of biological cells to produce artificial, protein-like macromolecules. Specialized macromolecules may provide materials for use in surgery and regenerative medicine.[8] Areas that he is exploring include the use of artificial amino acids in the preparation of proteins, the evolution of novel proteins, and analysis of cellular processes.[10]

Awards and honors

Tirrell is an elected member of all three branches of the United States National Academies: the National Academy of Sciences (2006), the National Academy of Engineering (2008), and the Institute of Medicine (2011). He is also an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,[1] a fellow of the American Chemical Society (2010),[11] and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2018).[12]

He has received a number of awards, including:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Professor David A. Tirrell. Caltech. 29 June 2015.
  2. Web site: Caltech Professor David Tirrell Named Director of the Beckman Institute. About Caltech. 10 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150829113421/http://www.caltech.edu/article/307. 29 August 2015. dead.
  3. News: David Tirrell Named Caltech Provost Caltech. The California Institute of Technology. 2018-08-02. en.
  4. Web site: David A. Tirrell. Chemical Engineering. California Institute of Technology. 29 June 2015.
  5. Book: Zewail. Ahmed H.. Physical Biology: From Atoms to Medicine : From Atoms to Medicine. 2008. Imperial College Press. London. 978-1848162006. 185. 22 July 2015.
  6. Book: Timp. Gregory. Nanotechnology. 1999. Springer New York. New York, NY. 978-1-4612-0531-9.
  7. Book: Tirrell. David A.. Tirrell. June G.. Mason. Thomas L.. Fournier. Maurille J.. Engineered Proteins in Materials Research. Bioorganic chemistry : peptides and proteins. 1998. New York. Oxford University Press. Hecht. S. M.. http://authors.library.caltech.edu/53743/1/161-Hecht-chapt.pdf.
  8. Langer. Robert. Tirrell. David A.. Designing materials for biology and medicine. Nature. 1 April 2004. 428. 6982. 487–492. 10.1038/nature02388. 15057821. 2004Natur.428..487L. 4361055.
  9. Kato. Takashi. Self-Assembly of Phase-Segregated Liquid Crystal Structures. Science. March 29, 2002. 295. 5564. 2414–2418. 22 July 2015. 10.1126/science.1070967. 11923528. 2002Sci...295.2414K. 44587581.
  10. Book: Zewail. Ahmed H.. Physical Biology: From Atoms to Medicine : From Atoms to Medicine. 2008. Imperial College Press. London. 978-1848162006. https://books.google.com/books?id=gXsaSnqvqEwC&pg=PA165. 22 July 2015. 165–187. Reinterpreting the Genetic Code: Implications for macromolecular design, evolution and analysis. Tirrell. David A..
  11. 2010 ACS Fellows. 29 June 2015. Chemical & Engineering News. 60–62. 31. 88. August 2, 2010.
  12. Web site: Two Caltech Chemists Elected to the National Academy of Inventors . December 11, 2018 . California Institute of Technology.
  13. Web site: Fesenmaier. Kimm. Caltech Professors Mark E. Davis and David A. Tirrell Elected to the Institute of Medicine. Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Caltech. October 26, 2011.
  14. News: Duffy. Jocelyn. Lecture Spotlight: Cells Become Factories for Dickson Prize Lecturer. 29 June 2015. The Piper. March. Carnegie Mellon University. 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923224452/http://www.cmu.edu/piper/piper/2011/march/dicksonprize.html. 23 September 2015. dead.
  15. News: David Tirrell to Receive Dickson Prize in Science. 29 June 2015. Carnegie Mellon Press Releases. Carnegie Mellon University. March 10, 2011.
  16. Web site: Scahill. Jacqueline. David Tirrell Elected to Membership in the National Academy of Engineering. About Caltech. Caltech. February 15, 2008.
  17. Web site: Arthur C. Cope Scholar Awards. ACS Chemistry for Life. 29 June 2015.
  18. Web site: O'Leary. Maureen. 72 New Members Chosen By Academy. News from the National Academies. April 25, 2006.
  19. Web site: History of the S.C. Lind Lecture Series. East Tennessee ACS. 29 June 2015.
  20. Annual Report 2004-2005. The News Journal. 13. 2. 59. 29 June 2015.
  21. Web site: ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry. ACS Chemistry for Life. 29 June 2015.
  22. Web site: Honorary doctors. Technical University of Eindhoven. 22 July 2015.
  23. Web site: UMass Amherst Convocation to Honor President William Bulger Sept. 26 in Campus Center Auditorium. University of Massachusetts Amherst. September 18, 1997.
  24. Web site: The Harrison Howe Award presented by the Rochester Section of the ACS. The Rochester Section ACS. 29 June 2015.
  25. Web site: Polymer Division Awards. Division of Polymer Chemistry. American Chemical Society. 29 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20180520055319/http://www.polyacs.org/AWARDS.html. 20 May 2018. dead.

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