Nicholas Kotov

Nicholas Kotov serves as the Joseph B. and Florence V. Cejka Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan with joint appointments in Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, and Macromolecular Science & Engineering within the College of Engineering. His research laboratories are housed at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) in Ann Arbor, where he directs cutting-edge work at the intersection of nanotechnology and biomedicine.

His academic foundation includes:

• M.S. in Chemistry from Moscow State University (1987)
• Ph.D. in Chemistry from Moscow State University (1990)

Professor Kotov's research program centers on nanostructured materials for biological and medical applications, with particular emphasis on chiral nanomaterials and self-organizing colloidal systems. His group pioneers biomimetic approaches to material design, drawing inspiration from natural hierarchical structures.

Current investigations focus on chiral quantum magnets, aramid nanofiber composites, and graph-theoretical frameworks for nanomaterial design. Recent publications demonstrate strong integration of machine learning with experimental nanofabrication, yielding breakthroughs in energy storage, biosensing, and optical devices with applications ranging from SARS-CoV-2 antivirals to terahertz radiation detection.

Scientific Recognition:

• No major awards explicitly documented in source materials

He mentors graduate researchers including Ji Young Kim and Terry Shyu, with projects spanning nanomedicine, energy storage, and advanced manufacturing. His lab maintains active industry partnerships and international collaborations, notably in African materials science capacity building. Current funding supports development of chiral optical devices, biomimetic scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and next-generation battery technologies.

The Kotov Lab operates specialized facilities at NCRC B26-102S and 108S for nanomaterial synthesis, cryogenic electron tomography, and chiroptical characterization. Research teams integrate chemical engineering, materials science, and biomedical principles to create functional nanosystems with precise structural control.