For typical illnesses, the body’s immune system is a robust, pathogen-killing machine. It provides a general defense against harmful germs while also adapting and producing antibodies that target specific bacteria or viruses. After fighting off an infection like the flu, the body produces...

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has awarded a $5.6 million grant to the Neuroproteomics & Neurometabolomics Center on Cell-Cell Signaling. Established in 2005 at Illinois, the Center is a designated NIDA Center of...

In a 1994 alumni profile story, Dr. David Milligan (MS, ’65; PhD, ’67) expressed his belief that hard work and the rational application of science would continue to pay off in years to come. “In the future, industry will be scrambling to hire high quality talent. There is a tremendous need for...

Taking inspiration from enzymes, chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a catalyst to simplify the synthesis of ethers, key functional components of many drugs, foods, personal care items and other consumer goods. The catalyst puts the two chemical ingredients in just the...

In her first month on campus as the new Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Chemical Sciences, Raylene Gomez Hernandez continues to meet with various faculty, staff, and students to get acclimated to her new position. “The most exciting part of this new journey is the...

Three graduate students in chemistry and a materials science and engineering student in a chemistry research group have been recognized with awards from the American Chemical Society for their leadership in one of three areas — mentoring, research safety, or diversity, equity, inclusion and respect...

A major project launched in early 2024 features the renovation of a 6,000 square foot area on the second floor of Noyes Laboratory where the School of Chemical Sciences is leading the modernization of undergraduate labs, including advanced organic and inorganic lab facilities, equipment and...

Wilfred A. van der Donk has won the 2025 Alfred Bader Award in Bioorganic or Bioinorganic Chemistry, a national award administered by the American Chemical Society. His research focuses on the discovery and design of new antibiotics and natural products, focusing on projects that combine synthetic...

With a natural enzyme as inspiration, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have designed an artificial enzyme that converts methanol to formaldehyde in a process that has the potential to massively reduce energy use in the commercial production of this prevalently used...