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University research directory
Research labs at
Northwestern University.
Compare 5 listed faculty-led profiles, explore their research interests, and follow the evidence in their selected work. These listings are a starting point for discovery and do not establish recruiting availability.
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Review each lab’s official website and recent publications. Compare the methods used, the questions being asked, and the practical requirements of any published opening. Unclaimed profiles are independently curated; the university has not approved or endorsed them.
How to compare research labs ↗Official university website ↗5 research-led lab profiles
Browse labs by their listed college affiliationChad A. Mirkin Research Group
Northwestern University
Chad A. Mirkin · Professor
How can DNA-programmed nanoparticle assembly be used to control materials architecture at the nanoscale for sensing and medicine? The Mirkin Group engineers DNA-directed colloidal crystal assembly and spherical nucleic acids to create nanostructured materials for sensing, gene regulation, and nanomedicine. Researchers develop nanoparticle megalibraries and nanocombinatorial chemistry to accelerate discovery of catalysts, optoelectronic, and functional materials. The group applies DNA bonds and shape-complementary particle design to produce space-tiled colloidal crystals and programmable superlattices. Mirkin’s team translates these nanomaterials into analytical tools and vaccine and therapeutic platforms using structural nanomedicine approaches.
David Dunand Research Group
Northwestern UniversityDavid Dunand · Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
How can 3D printing and sintering produce load-bearing porous metal scaffolds with controlled microstructure and mechanical properties? The group develops 3D ink-extrusion and ink casting methods to fabricate metallic scaffolds and micro-lattices for high-temperature and biomedical applications. Researchers investigate hydrogen reduction of black mass from spent lithium-ion batteries to form Ni-Co-Mn master alloys that can be combined with Fe and Cr to produce stainless steel. The group uses neutron and synchrotron X-ray radiation to measure in situ strains, phase composition and perform tomography during processing and testing. Projects probe sintering resistance and microstructural evolution of porous iron and Fe–W systems under cyclic steam oxidation and hydrogen reduction to understand durability.
Independently curated · UnclaimedJohn A. Rogers Research Group
Northwestern UniversityJohn A. Rogers · Professor
Can soft, bio-integrated electronic systems provide clinically useful, conformal interfaces to biological tissues for sensing and therapy? The Rogers Group develops bio-integrated microsystems—flexible, stretchable, and bioresorbable electronics—for neonatal monitoring, implantable optoelectronic neuromodulation, and temporary cardiac pacemaking. Researchers design epidermal microfluidic and sensor platforms for real-time chemical and physiological monitoring of sweat and transcutaneous gaseous flux. The group engineers injectable, cellular-scale optoelectronic filaments and multifunctional 3D mesostructures to interface with organoids and neural tissues for measurement and modulation. Work combines novel materials, mechanics-driven self-assembly, and micro/nanofabrication to enable soft lithographic and bioresorbable device platforms.
Ludmilla Aristilde Research Group
Northwestern UniversityLudmilla Aristilde · Professor
How do mineral interfaces and microbial enzymes control transformation and fate of organic nutrients and contaminants in soils? The Aristilde Group combines experiments and computation to investigate catalytic dynamics of extracellular enzymes at water–mineral interfaces and enzyme–mineral regulation. Researchers quantify cellular carbon metabolism and coupled carbon–energy fluxes in environmental bacteria to decode pathways for lignin and polymer carbon utilization. The group benchmarks catalytic parameters for iron-oxide-mediated abiotic reactions relevant to organic phosphorus recycling in soils and sediments. Projects apply metabolomics, mechanistic enzymology, and surface chemistry to inform nutrient cycling and environmental biotechnology.
Shana O. Kelley Research Group
Northwestern UniversityShana O. Kelley · Professor
Can continuous, reagentless sensors enable real-time molecular monitoring in living systems with high specificity? The Kelley Group develops biomolecular sensors and active-reset protein sensors for continuous in vivo monitoring of inflammation and other protein biomarkers. The group builds high-throughput microfluidic and immunomagnetic platforms for rare and single-cell analysis to enable cell therapy development and liquid biopsy assays. Researchers design peptide- and nanoparticle-based intracellular delivery vectors to control intracellular localization and enhance mitochondrial targeting of synthetic molecules. The team combines CRISPR screening, cellular engineering, and nanoscale electrochemical methods to build diagnostic and phenotypic screening tools.
Showing 1–5 of 5 labs