Andy Borovik

Professor Andy Borovik is a UCI Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry within the School of Physical Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He leads a research program focused on bioinorganic chemistry, designing synthetic systems that mimic metalloproteins to understand how molecular environment controls function.

His educational background includes a B.S. in Chemistry with Honors from Humboldt State University, where he conducted research at Oregon State University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill under Tom Sorrell, followed by an NIH postdoctoral fellowship with Larry Que at the University of Minnesota, and a postdoctoral associate position with Ken Raymond at the University of California, Berkeley.

Research in Professor Borovik's lab centers on exploiting non-covalent interactions and secondary coordination sphere effects to control reactivity at metal centers. His group develops synthetic complexes and artificial metalloproteins to study the activation of biologically essential small molecules such as O₂ and H₂O, aiming to uncover fundamental principles of enzyme function and inspire new catalytic technologies.

Although no specific publications are listed in the provided text, his work spans synthetic inorganic chemistry, biomimetic design, and functional materials, showing a consistent focus on structure-function relationships in metalloprotein mimics.

• 2019 Richard C. Tolman Award – Southern California Section of the American Chemical Society
• 2017 NIH MERIT Award – National Institutes of Health
• 2018 National Cotton Award in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry – American Chemical Society

Professor Borovik has mentored undergraduate researchers throughout his career, including six students during his tenure at Ithaca College, and likely numerous graduate students at UCI, though they are not named. His research has been supported by prestigious grants, most notably the long-term NIH MERIT Award, which recognizes outstanding sustained research. He has previously held faculty or research positions at Kansas State University and the University of Kansas before joining UCI in 2006.

His laboratory focuses on molecular design strategies that bridge coordination chemistry and protein engineering, creating hybrid systems to probe and control metal ion function. The team employs principles from both synthetic chemistry and structural biology to build increasingly complex and functional artificial metalloenzymes.