Liviu M. Mirica

**Liviu M. Mirica** is the William H. and Janet G. Lycan Professor of Chemistry at the University of Illinois, affiliated with the Department of Chemistry and multiple interdisciplinary programs including Neuroscience, Bioengineering, and the Beckman Institute. He holds additional professorships in Biomedical and Translational Sciences and has been recognized with over 20 prestigious awards, including Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2018) and the NSF CAREER Award (2013).

**Education**: B.S. from California Institute of Technology (1999); Ph.D. from Stanford University (2005); Postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley (NIH fellowship). His research focuses on synthetic inorganic/organometallic chemistry applied to energy catalysis, Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics, and transition metal roles in neurodegeneration. Key projects include developing bifunctional compounds for Aβ peptide modulation and studying high-valent nickel/palladium complexes for C-C bond formation.

**Research Highlights**: His work bridges energy, biology, and materials science, with notable contributions to nickel photocatalysts, metal-based PET imaging agents, and neuroprotective small molecules. Recent trends in his articles emphasize ligand design for catalytic efficiency, redox-active sensors for metal dysregulation in AD, and mechanistic studies of Ni/Pd intermediates in oxidation reactions.

**Awards**: Over 20 honors, including the 2021 Innovation Award (St. Louis Academy of Sciences) and multiple teaching/nurturing accolades. His lab collaborates across disciplines, leveraging Beckman Institute resources for advanced imaging and bioanalytical tools.

**Grants & Outreach**: Recipient of a $3M NIH Aging Grant (2023) for Alzheimer’s diagnostics. Engages in diversity initiatives through the Graduate Diversity Office and community science outreach. Mentored over 50 students, many advancing to postdoctoral and industry roles.

**Labs/Teams**: Leads the Mirica Group at Illinois Chemistry, collaborating with the Beckman Institute’s Biomedical Imaging Center. Active in professional societies (ACS, Royal Society of Chemistry) and international conferences.