Robert G. Griffin Explained

Robert Guy Griffin (born 1942) is a Professor of Chemistry^[1] and director of the Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory^[2] at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is known for his work in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and developing high-field dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) for the study of biological solids. He has contributed many different methods and approaches now widely used in solid-state NMR spectroscopy, in particular in context of magic-angle-spinning NMR. For example, this extends to methods for resolution enhancement via heteronuclear decoupling, as well as techniques for polarisation transfer between nuclei (to enable structure determination of crystallised and aggregated proteins).^{[3] [4]}

He was awarded the ISMAR (International Society of Magnetic Resonance) Prize in 2010^[5] and the Günther Laukien Prize for NMR research in 2007.^[6] In 2018, he received the Bijvoet Medal of the Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research of Utrecht University^[7]

In 2021, he was elected member of the U. S. National Academy of Sciences.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Griffin Page. MIT Department of Chemistry. 3 November 2022.
2. Web site: Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory Page. MIT. 30 January 2012.
3. Bennett . Andrew E. . Rienstra . Chad M. . Auger . Michèle . Lakshmi . K. V. . Griffin . Robert G. . Heteronuclear decoupling in rotating solids . The Journal of Chemical Physics . 22 October 1995 . 103 . 16 . 6951–6958 . 10.1063/1.470372. 1995JChPh.103.6951B .
4. Griffin . R . Dipolar recoupling in MAS spectra of biological solids . Nature Structural Biology . 1998 . 5 . 7 . 508–512 . 10.1038/749. 9665180 . 33806831 .
5. Web site: ISMAR Prize. International Society for Magnetic Resonance. 30 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110218091517/http://www.ismar.org/ismar-prize. 18 February 2011.
6. Web site: Laukien Prize Past Recipients (2007). Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference. 30 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100515060756/http://www.enc-conference.org/LaukienRecipients/PastRecipients/2007RobertGGriffin/tabid/75/Default.aspx. 15 May 2010.
7. Web site: Bijvoet Medal. Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research. 2018-04-24.
8. Web site: News from the National Academy of Sciences. 26 April 2021. 2 July 2021. Newly elected members and their affiliations at the time of election are: ... Griffin, Robert G.; Arthur Amos Noyes Professor, department of chemistry, and director, Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.