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Physical Sciences Division
Department of Chemistry
Transformative Discoveries Across Synthetic, Biological, Physical, and Theoretical Chemistry
Founded in 1892 as one of the inaugural departments of the University of Chicago, the Department of Chemistry has pioneered fundamental discoveries that define modern chemical science, including radiocarbon dating, electron transfer theory, and RNA epigenetics. Home to 15 Nobel laureates and historic Searle Laboratories.
Department Highlights
- 15 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry affiliated with the department
- Historic Searle Chemistry Laboratory and Kent Chemical Laboratory in Hyde Park
- Pioneers in epitranscriptomics, bioconjugation, quantum dynamics, and inorganic nanomaterials
- Doctoral program with complete multi-year tuition grants and living stipends
Academic Degree Programs
Undergraduate Program in Chemistry
The B.S. and B.A. in Chemistry curriculum combines rigorous foundational lectures in organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry with extensive research laboratory experience.
Degrees Conferred: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) • Administered through The College
Master’s & Professional Degree Curricula
Collaborative MS credentials and joint Physical Sciences Division degree programs.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program
Full Fellowship FundingThe Ph.D. in Chemistry develops independent doctoral scholars across synthetic organic, chemical biology, inorganic materials, and theoretical chemistry with full 5-year financial support.
Guaranteed 5-Year Doctoral Fellowship Package:
- 100% Full Tuition Remission covered by the University
- Competitive Annual Living Stipend ($44,000+ per year)
- Comprehensive UChicago Student Health Insurance (U-SHIP)
- Guaranteed research assistantship and travel conference grants
Apply via Applicant Portal →
Applications for Autumn 2027 matriculation now open.
Research Areas & Specializations
Faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate researchers collaborate across interdisciplinary fields, driving theoretical innovations and empirical breakthroughs.
Chemical Biology & Epigenetics
Reversible RNA methylation (m6A), targeted covalent modification, cellular imaging probes, and directed evolution.
Inorganic & Materials Chemistry
Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, molecular quantum bits, coordination networks, and electrocatalytic materials.
Physical & Ultrafast Chemistry
2D electronic spectroscopy, single-molecule biophysics, femtosecond laser dynamics, and energy transfer.
Theoretical & Computational Chemistry
Electronic structure theory, multiscale molecular dynamics, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM), and density functional development.
World-Class Facilities & Affiliated Institutes
- Searle Chemistry Laboratory modern synthetic and analytical suites
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility (500-800 MHz spectrometers)
- Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics Core
- X-Ray Crystallography Diffraction Facility
Physical Sciences Division • The University of Chicago
Department of Chemistry Faculty
47 Active Faculty Profiles
Our faculty members are world-leading thinkers, mentors, and scholars in Department of Chemistry. Click any professor's profile to inspect biographical narratives, research specializations, laboratory affiliations, and selected publications.
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Director of Graduate Studies
Ph.D., Harvard University
Director of Graduate StudiesAdmissions Advisor
Prof. Cusumano serves as Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Chemistry. His laboratory develops novel synthetic methodology for functional peptides, macrocyclic scaffolds, and chemical probes targeting abe...
Bio-organic ChemistryPeptide SynthesisChemical BiologyGraduate Advising
John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2023)MacArthur FellowHHMI Investigator
Prof. He is world-renowned for discovering reversible RNA methylation, pioneering the field of epitranscriptomics. The He Laboratory elucidates the biochemical roles of RNA modifications in gene expression regulation, hu...
RNA EpigeneticsEpitranscriptomicsm6A MethylationChemical Biology
Richard and Kathy Leventhal Professor of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering
Ph.D., University of Bologna
National Academy of SciencesFaraday Lectureship PrizeAmerican Academy of Arts & Sciences
Prof. Gagliardi develops electronic structure theories and multi-reference quantum chemical methods to model complex chemical systems, photocatalysis, actinide chemistry, and gas separations in porous materials....
Quantum ChemistryMultireference MethodsMetal-Organic FrameworksCatalysis Modeling
University Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Cornell University
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2009)National Academy of SciencesLasker Award
Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak investigates the chemical origins of life. His laboratory designs autonomous protocell systems capable of Darwinian evolution, non-enzymatic RNA replication, and self-assembling fatty acid ves...
Origin of LifePrebiotic ChemistryProtocellsRNA Replication
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-ScholarSloan Research Fellow
The Dickinson group develops molecular technologies to probe and control biological systems. Research focuses on genetically encoded biosensors, split-luciferases, proximity labeling enzymes, and targeted RNA therapeutic...
Synthetic BiologyBiosensorsTargeted RNA DegradationProtein Engineering
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
PECASE RecipientNIH Director's New Innovator Award
Prof. Tian explores physical biology and nano-biointerfaces. His lab synthesizes biomimetic silicon materials and soft hydrogels for optical neuromodulation, cardiac pacing, and cellular biomechanics....
BioelectronicsSilicon NanowiresNeuromodulationBiomaterials
Haig P. Papazian Distinguished Service Professor
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
National Academy of SciencesACS Award in Theoretical Chemistry
Prof. Voth is a pioneer in multiscale theoretical and computational simulation methods. His group models complex biomolecular assemblies including viral capsids, actin filaments, and charge translocation pathways....
Multiscale ModelingProton TransportHIV Capsid DynamicsStatistical Mechanics
Henry G. Gale Distinguished Service Professor
Ph.D., Stanford University
National Academy of SciencesEllis R. Lippincott Award
The Tokmakoff Laboratory uses ultrafast multi-dimensional infrared spectroscopy to study the hydrogen-bonding dynamics of liquid water, protein folding and conformational transitions, and aqueous proton hydration....
2D IR SpectroscopyUltrafast SpectroscopyWater DynamicsProtein Folding
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science
Infosys Prize in Physical SciencesShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
Prof. Krishnan creates DNA-based nanodevices that operate inside living cells and model organisms to map chemical environments—such as pH, chloride, and second messengers—within designated subcellular organelles....
DNA NanotechnologyIntracellular ImagingOrganelle BiologyFluorescent Sensors
Professor and Chair of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
Department ChairAPS FellowNIH Director's Innovator
Prof. Park directs research on the science and technology of atomically thin 2D materials. His laboratory synthesizes continuous wafer-scale 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and examines their quantum transport proper...
2D MaterialsGraphene & MoS2NanophotonicsWafer-Scale Films
President, University of Chicago; John D. MacArthur Distinguished Service Professor
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
University PresidentNational Medal of SciencePriestley Medal
Paul Alivisatos is the 14th President of the University of Chicago and an internationally renowned pioneer in the synthesis and fabrication of semiconductor and metallic nanocrystals with applications in renewable energy...
NanocrystalsColloidal SynthesisQuantum DotsRenewable Energy
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
Packard FellowshipACS E.J. Corey AwardSloan Research Fellow
Prof. Levin pioneered modern methods of single-atom skeletal editing, permitting direct insertion, deletion, and transmutation of atoms within complex heterocyclic molecules without breaking the peripheral architecture....
Skeletal EditingSingle-Atom InsertionMedicinal ChemistryOrganic Synthesis
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Packard Fellow in Science and EngineeringSloan Research Fellow
The Wuttig group studies interfacial chemical dynamics to drive sustainable electrocatalysis, focusing on electricity-driven chemical conversions for carbon neutrality, clean fuel production, and value-added organic synt...
ElectrocatalysisCO2 ReductionInterfacial DynamicsSustainable Synthesis
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
APS FellowDirector of JFI Emeritus
Prof. Dinner develops multiscale physical and data-driven methods to understand cellular organization, molecular motor dynamics, nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, and chromatin architecture....
Statistical MechanicsMachine Learning for BiophysicsCytoskeletonStochastic Kinetics
Ernest DeWitt Burton Distinguished Service Professor
Ph.D., University of Hamburg
MRS MedalistACS Inorganic Chemistry Award
Prof. Talapin's research focuses on the chemistry and physics of colloidal nanostructures. His lab designs self-assembled electronic superlattices, 2D MXenes, and covalent surface engineering methods for quantum electron...
NanomaterialsSemiconductor SuperlatticesSurface ChemistryOptoelectronics
William B. Graham Professor & Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ph.D., Harvard University
Biophysical Society FellowDepartment ChairPioneer in Optogenetics
Prof. Sosnick is Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His lab investigates the physical principles governing protein and RNA folding pathways and designs light-regulated optogenetic actuators to control signaling...
Protein FoldingOptogeneticsRNA DynamicsBiophysical Chemistry
Professor of Molecular Engineering & Vice Dean of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Ph.D., Princeton University
Vice Dean of PMECamille Dreyfus Teacher-ScholarAI for Science Pioneer
Prof. Ferguson combines molecular simulation, statistical mechanics, and machine learning to design self-assembling materials and engineer biological polymers. His group develops generative AI platforms for de novo antiv...
Machine LearningMolecular SimulationAntiviral PeptidesGenerative AI
Amgen Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
Biophysical Society FellowNAS MemberNational Institutes of Health MERIT Award
Prof. Roux uses theoretical and computational methods to understand the microscopic workings of biological macromolecular machines. His lab models ion selectivity and voltage-gating in potassium and sodium channels....
Ion ChannelsMolecular DynamicsFree Energy PerturbationMembrane Biophysics
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
NIH Postdoctoral FellowInorganic Materials Innovator
Prof. Laorenza develops precision synthetic synthetic routes to transition metal clusters, metal-radical networks, and solid-state materials exhibiting novel magnetic, optical, and quantum coherent phenomena....
Inorganic SynthesisCoordination ChemistryElectronic MaterialsSpin Dynamics
Professor of Chemistry & The James Franck Institute
Ph.D., Harvard University
APS FellowACS FellowInternational Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
Prof. Mazziotti's group develops reduced-density-matrix (RDM) mechanics to calculate the electronic structure of strongly correlated molecules without wavefunctions, implementing these algorithms on noisy intermediate-sc...
Reduced Density MatricesQuantum ComputingElectronic StructureStrong Correlation
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral FellowPhysical Chemistry Scholar
The Jasrasaria group develops theoretical and computational tools to understand how quantum mechanical effects dictate energy and charge transport in complex, nanoscale environments like light-harvesting complexes and po...
Nonequilibrium Quantum DynamicsEnergy TransportOpen Quantum SystemsPhotophysics
Professor of Chemistry & Senior Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
Ph.D., University of Hamburg
Presidential Early Career Award (PECASE)Top Innovators Under 35 (TR35)
Prof. Shevchenko studies self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles into binary and ternary superlattices, creating artificial solid-state materials with engineered optical, electronic, and magnetic cooperative properties....
Nanoparticle SuperlatticesSelf-AssemblyCorrelated MagnetismCatalytic Metamaterials
Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and Chemistry
Ph.D., International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA)
National Academy of SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesAPS Aneesur Rahman Prize
Prof. Galli is an international leader in ab initio quantum simulations of matter, focusing on point defects in wide-bandgap semiconductors for quantum sensing and quantum computation, as well as electronic properties of...
Quantum Information ScienceFirst-Principles ModelingPoint DefectsWater Under Pressure
Professor of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering; Director of Midwest Integrated Center for Quantum Materials
Ph.D., Harvard University
Director of MICCoMPECASE RecipientSearle Scholar
Prof. Engel pioneered 2D electronic spectroscopy experiments that uncovered long-lived electronic quantum coherence in photosynthetic complexes, advancing understanding of quantum transport in biological light-harvesting...
Quantum Biology2D Electronic SpectroscopyExciton DynamicsPhotosynthetic Coherence
Weldon G. Brown Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Stanford University
Elias J. Corey AwardSloan Research FellowBlavatnik National Awards Finalist
Prof. Dong's group develops new catalytic paradigms for activating inert carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds, creating catalytic transformations that streamline the synthesis of complex natural products and medicinal...
C-C Bond ActivationTransition-Metal CatalysisCascade ReactionsDrug Discovery
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Yale University
DOE Early Career AwardeeArnold O. Beckman Fellow
The Lant Laboratory synthesizes hierarchical porous frameworks and metal-organic cages designed to stabilize catalytic intermediates for solar water splitting, carbon capture, and multi-electron redox transformations....
Metal-Organic FrameworksPhotocatalysisArtificial PhotosynthesisPorous Materials
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Columbia University
HHMI Investigator EmeritusACS Chemical Biology Lectureship
Prof. Lin investigates sirtuins and novel post-translational protein acylations (malonylation, succinylation, glutarylation). His lab discovers regulatory mechanisms governing metabolism, innate immunity, and cancer surv...
Post-Translational ModificationsSirtuinsNAD+ BiologyChemical Epigenetics
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
NIH Pathway to Independence AwardYoung Investigator Award
Prof. Zhou's research utilizes ultrafast laser spectroscopy and terahertz near-field microscopy to capture nonequilibrium charge and spin dynamics in correlated electronic systems and topological insulators....
SpectroscopyCorrelated Quantum MaterialsUltrafast OpticsTopological Insulators
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
Presidential Early Career Award (PECASE)Sloan Research FellowPackard Fellow
The Anderson Laboratory designs reactive transition metal complexes and conductive metal-organic frameworks featuring non-innocent radical ligands capable of facilitating multi-electron bond-forming reactions....
Inorganic ChemistryRadical LigandsConductive MOFsSmall Molecule Activation
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
National Academy of SciencesAAAS FellowSearle Scholar
Prof. Piccirilli is an authority on the chemical mechanism of RNA catalysis. His lab investigates catalytic ribozymes, the spliceosome core, and retrotransposons using biochemical, crystallographic, and cryo-EM methodolo...
RibozymesRNA SplicingCatalytic RNAStructural Biology
David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor; Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
Ph.D., Harvard University
Former Provost of UChicagoAPS FellowBiophysical Society Fellow
Prof. Lee's research focuses on the behavior of complex thin films and biomembranes, elucidating how lung surfactants operate at the alveolar interface and the molecular mechanisms of membrane disruption by amyloid pepti...
Lipid MembranesLung SurfactantsAmyloid FibrilsBiophysical Interfaces
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-ScholarAlfred P. Sloan Research Fellow
Prof. Hopkins explores the electronic structure, bonding, and photophysics of conjugated metal-organic compounds. His laboratory designs tungsten and molybdenum alkylidyne complexes for nonlinear optical applications....
Inorganic PhotochemistryElectronic ConjugationMetal-Alkylidyne ComplexesOptoelectronics
Professor of Chemistry & The James Franck Institute
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
APS FellowOptical Society of America FellowGuggenheim Fellow
Prof. Scherer studies optical matter and nanoparticle assembly governed by light forces. His group creates dynamic optical lattices using electrodynamic interactions to direct matter at the nanoscale....
Optical TweezersNanophotonicsMatter-Wave DynamicsSingle-Molecule Tracking
Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
APS FellowAAAS FellowAlexander von Humboldt Award
Prof. Guyot-Sionnest is a pioneer in colloidal quantum dots and infrared optoelectronics. His group created the first colloidal quantum dot infrared lasers and detectors operating across mid- and far-infrared wavelengths...
Colloidal Quantum DotsInfrared OpticsPlasmonicsOptoelectronic Devices
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
NIH Director's New Innovator AwardPew Biomedical ScholarV Foundation Scholar
Prof. Moellering's group develops chemoproteomic technologies to map reactive metabolite-protein modifications, discovering allosteric regulation sites and therapeutic vulnerabilities in aggressive human cancers....
Chemical ProteomicsMetabolismTargeted DegradationCancer Signaling
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
DOE Early Career AwardBeckman Young InvestigatorAir Force Young Investigator
Prof. King investigates electronic dynamics at nanoscale interfaces using time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy (TR-PEEM), tracking charge separation and exciton diffusion in next-generation photovoltaics....
Photoemission MicroscopyInterfacial Electronic Structure2D HeterostructuresUltrafast
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute
Arthur C. Cope ScholarAmgen Young InvestigatorBristol-Myers Squibb Award
Prof. Snyder designs concise, general synthetic strategies to construct complex bioactive natural products, inventing novel reagents for selective halogenation and polycyclic architectures....
Total SynthesisNatural ProductsHalogenation ReagentsMedicinal Chemistry
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University
NIH Postdoctoral FellowBiological Chemistry Educator
Prof. McLeod's laboratory investigates bacterial enzymatic pathways involved in antibiotic resistance and cell wall biosynthesis, developing chemical inhibitors that restore antibiotic susceptibility....
Chemical BiologyEnzyme MechanismsPathogen DefenseBacterial Cell Wall
Carl William Eisendrath Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry & The James Franck Institute
Ph.D., UC Berkeley
Arthur W. Adamson AwardAPS FellowAVS Fellow
Prof. Sibener is a pioneer in surface and materials chemistry. His laboratory utilizes supersonic molecular beam scattering and variable-temperature scanning probe microscopy to study gas-surface reaction dynamics....
Surface ChemistryMolecular Beam ScatteringScanning Probe MicroscopyPolymer Films
Barry L. MacLean Professor of Molecular Engineering and Chemistry
Ph.D., University of Glasgow
ACS FellowRSC FellowEditor-in-Chief of ACS Macro Letters
Prof. Rowan develops stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymers, dynamic covalent networks (vitrimers), and bio-derived nanocomposites capable of autonomous healing, shape-memory transitions, and chemical recycling....
Supramolecular PolymersDynamic Covalent ChemistrySelf-Healing MaterialsCellulose Nanocrystals
Professor of Chemistry & The James Franck Institute
Ph.D., University of Maryland
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-ScholarSloan Research FellowACS OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty
Prof. Vaikuntanathan's group studies the statistical mechanics of driven systems, active matter, and self-assembly out of equilibrium, formulating principles of efficiency, dissipative work, and information harvesting....
Statistical MechanicsActive MatterNon-Equilibrium PhysicsPhase Transitions
Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Arthur C. Cope ScholarAmerican Chemical Society FellowChair Emeritus of Chemistry
Prof. Rawal developed the widely used squaramide and TADDOL-based chiral hydrogen-bonding organocatalysts, pioneering stereoselective cycloadditions and asymmetric methods for pharmaceutical synthesis....
Asymmetric CatalysisHydrogen Bonding CatalystsSquaramidesComplex Natural Products
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NIH Director's New Innovator AwardSearle ScholarKavli Fellow
Prof. Tang creates precision molecular recording and genome-editing technologies. Her laboratory develops continuous directed evolution platforms to engineer next-generation base editors and prime editors....
Genome EditingDirected EvolutionBase EditorsEnzyme Engineering
James Franck Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Highly Cited Researcher (Top 0.1%)ACS Chemistry of Materials AwardAAAS Fellow
Prof. Lin pioneered nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) and nanoscale coordination polymers (NCPs) for clinical cancer immunotherapy, radio-sensitization, and solar fuel photocatalysis....
Nanoscale MOFsCancer NanomedicineRadiotherapy SensitizersSolar Fuels
Otho S.A. Sprague Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ph.D., University of Delaware
Otho S.A. Sprague ChairProtein Society FellowSynthetic Antibody Engineering Pioneer
Prof. Kossiakoff is an authority in structural biology and synthetic antibody engineering. His laboratory generates recombinant synthetic Fab and monobody chaperones that trap fleeting conformational states of membrane p...
Synthetic AntibodiesX-ray CrystallographyCryo-EM ChaperonesReceptor Signaling
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ph.D., Harvard University
Searle ScholarNIH Director's New Innovator AwardStructural Biology Leader
Prof. Keenan investigates how membrane proteins are correctly targeted, inserted into lipid bilayers, and monitored for quality control by cellular machinery. His lab uses X-ray crystallography and biochemical reconstitu...
Membrane Protein BiogenesisProtein Quality ControlCrystallographyRibosome-Translocon Complex
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ph.D., Harvard University
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Prof. Rice is a structural biologist who determines the 3D structures of large nucleoprotein complexes involved in site-specific recombination and DNA transposition, illuminating mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in pa...
X-ray CrystallographyDNA TransposasesSite-Specific RecombinationBacterial Resistance
Seminars, Colloquia & Events
Department of Chemistry Colloquium
Speaker / Host: Prof. Viresh Rawal & Visiting Scholars • Location: Kent 107
Mondays at 4:00 PM
Chemical Biology & Biophysics Seminar
Speaker / Host: Prof. Chuan He & Faculty • Location: Searle 340
Thursdays at 1:30 PM
Department Headquarters & Admissions Contact
Searle Chemistry Laboratory • 5735 S. Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (773) 702-7250 •
Email: chem-admissions@uchicago.asia
Campus Office: Searle Chemistry Laboratory, Room 304
Department Leadership: Prof. Viresh Rawal
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