Matthew Tirrell

Matthew Tirrell is the Founding Dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, and senior scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory. Tirrell's work is in self-assembly and interfacial phenomena in organic material systems. Molecular-level forces such as hydrophobic, electrostatic, hydrogen bonding and others are deployed to create complexes and micellar nanoparticles, interfacially active materials, and hydrogels. This work has uncovered new physics of phase transitions and leads to development of new materials, especially new materials from polyelectrolyte complexes. In the realm of micellar nanoparticles, we design and synthesize self-assembling molecules that can organize into multifunctional, multivalent objects with targeting, image contrast and therapeutic capabilities. Recent areas of concentration have been on complexes that target vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, that disrupt intracellular protein-protein interactions and that package nucleic acids for targeted and efficient delivery. Tirrell has also served as Deputy Laboratory Director for Science at Argonne from 2015-2018 and again since June 2022. From 2009-2011, he was Professor and Chair of Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Tirrell was Dean of Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1999-2009. From 1977-1999, he was on the faculty of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota, where he served as Head from 1995-1999. Professor Tirrell is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the Indian National Academy of Engineering.