Paul E Laibinis

Paul E Laibinis is the Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and a Professor at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering. His research focuses on surface-driven systems, including antifouling coatings, magnetic nanoparticle dispersions, DNA surface engineering, and imaging mass spectrometry collaborations with Vanderbilt Medical Center. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and dual S.B. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from MIT, as well as an A.M. in Organic Chemistry from Harvard.

Education:

• Ph.D., Harvard University
• S.B., Chemical Engineering & S.B., Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• A.M., Organic Chemistry, Harvard University

Research Interests:

• Antifouling Coatings: Designing surfaces to prevent non-specific biomolecule adsorption for enhanced biological sensing and separation processes.
• Magnetic Nanoparticles: Developing surface-functionalized nanoparticles for microfluidic systems to improve mixing and separation efficiency.
• DNA at Surfaces: Leveraging DNA programmability for SNP detection and directed self-assembly of complex structures.
• Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Engineering surface coatings and microstructures to enhance resolution and signal generation in biomedical imaging.

Collaborations & Labs: Active in interdisciplinary teams with Vanderbilt Medical Center to advance biomedical applications of surface engineering technologies.