Faculty promotions announced in the School of Molecular Sciences

Arizona State University's School of Molecular Sciences recognizes and congratulates its faculty member promotions, as announced by The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. These promotions will take effect in August of this year.

“Each promotion is well deserved and properly recognizes their hard work and dedication to their research fields, to their students and to the school,” said Ian Gould, interim director of school.

Nicholas Stephanopoulos is promoted to associate professor with tenure in the School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Institute's Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics at ASU. His research includes the synthesis of novel protein- and peptide-DNA nanomaterials and their application to biology, medicine, energy and fundamental self-assembly. His work is at the interface of supramolecular chemistry, organic synthesis and bioconjugation, biology, engineering and nanoscience.

Wei Liu is promoted to associate professor with tenure. Liu joined the School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Institute at ASU in 2015. He applies lipid cubic phase crystallization methods for studying G protein-coupled receptors, which are involved in the growth and spread of cancer, using X-ray free electron lasers (XFEL). Liu’s growing body of work now encompasses over 40 peer-reviewed publications, including 16 in Nature, Science and Cell journals with over 6,000 citations.

Marcia Levitus is promoted to full professor with the School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Institute at ASU. Her research group focuses on the development and application of state-of-the-art techniques of single molecule detection to study complex biological systems, including the dynamics, structure and kinetics of nucleoprotein assemblies. Specific projects in this line of research include the study of the dynamic aspects of DNA-protein interactions in nucleosomes.

Steve Presse is promoted to full professor with the School of Molecular Sciences, Department of Physics and Center for Biological Physics. Presse uses both theory and experiments to address fundamental questions relevant to molecular science. On the theory side, Presse adapts and uses the tools of inference, statistical physics and stochastic processes, broadly defined, to understand living systems from single molecules to whole cells. A special emphasis is placed on interpreting spectroscopy and imaging data. On the experimental side, Presse investigates the role of hydrodynamics on bacterial interactions.

Anne Katherine Jones is promoted to full professor in the School of Molecular Sciences. Her research interests are in bioinorganic chemistry, energy-relevant redox chemistry and electrochemistry. Jones' group uses electrochemical methods to study the mechanisms of biological and bio-inspired redox catalysts relevant to energy production. She is a member of ASU's Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis. Jones’ promotion and appointment as the vice provost for undergraduate education, which begins in July, was announced last year.

Promotions announced last year in the School of Molecular Sciences include Hilairy Hartnett, who also holds a joint appointment with the School of Earth and Space Exploration; Hartnett was promoted to full professor. Alexandra Ros was promoted to full professor; Ros holds a joint appointment as a faculty member of the Center for Applied Structural Discovery at the Biodesign Institute. Gary Moore, who likewise holds an appointment with the Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, was promoted to associate professor. Jia Guo, who studies mechanisms of complex diseases, was promoted to associate professor.