Biomolecular engineering, nanotechnology expert to deliver Eyring lectures at ASU

Matthew Tirrell, a leading researcher in biomolecular engineering, studies how nature assembles complex structures from charged molecules — processes that underlie everything from cellular function to advanced materials.

“To create functional cellular and subcellular devices, nature exploits all available covalent and noncovalent interactions for unparalleled spatiotemporal control over hierarchical length scales of macromolecular and supramolecular structure,” Tirrell explains.

These interactions — particularly the electrostatic forces between charged macromolecules — are among the most powerful in nature, yet they remain only partially understood. Answering these questions will require collaboration across the life and physical sciences, along with engineering, to develop useful new structures and materials.

On April 2 and 3, Tirrell will be the featured speaker for the School of Molecular Sciences’ Eyring Lecture Series at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus.

The general lecture, titled “Self-Assembly of Charged Macromolecules: From New Physics to New Applications to Origins of Life,” will take place at 6 p.m. April 2 in the Marston Exploration Theater. 

In addition to the April 2 public lecture, Tirrell will present a technical lecture, “Structure and Thermodynamics of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micellization,” at 3 p.m. April 3 in Biodesign Auditorium B105. The two lectures will explore the physics of electrostatic self-assembly and its role in biology, medicine and theories about the origins of life.

Tirrell’s research focuses on how polymers and charged molecules behave and assemble, with applications in biomedical materials and nanotechnology. His work has helped advance understanding of how surfaces interact — including how to design materials that resist sticking or organize biological signals more precisely.

Over his career, he has contributed to the development of new materials inspired by nature and explored how self-assembling molecules can be used in areas such as disease detection, treatment and immune response.

Tirrell has held leadership roles at several major institutions, including serving as founding director and dean of the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. He has also held positions at the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Santa Barbara; and the University of Minnesota, and has worked closely with Argonne National Laboratory.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and his PhD from the University of Massachusetts. His honors include the Polymer Physics Prize from the American Physical Society, and election to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The Eyring Lecture Series is named for Leroy Eyring, an ASU Regents Professor of chemistry whose work helped bring the department to international prominence.

The series brings leading scientists to ASU to share their work with both academic and broader audiences. Past speakers have included Nobel laureates Ahmed Zewail, Jean-Marie Lehn, Richard Smalley, Yuan T. Lee, John Goodenough, Carolyn Bertozzi and David Baker.