Merlin Bruening

Merlin Bruening serves as the Donald & Susan Rice Professor of Engineering in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, with a concurrent appointment in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. His research group develops innovative thin film technologies for protein capture in porous membranes, ion separations in electrodialysis, and controlled protein digestion for mass spectrometry analysis. His work bridges chemical engineering, analytical chemistry, and materials science with significant applications in protein purification, antibody characterization, and salt purification/recycling.

Dr. Bruening's research interests focus on membrane science and engineering, particularly in developing polyelectrolyte multilayer films for selective ion separations, protein purification membranes, and enzyme-containing membranes for rapid protein digestion. His group has pioneered techniques for creating high-capacity protein-adsorbing membranes, controlled proteolysis prior to mass spectrometry analysis, and selective ion separations using electrodialysis through modified membranes. His work has significant implications for biopharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, and critical mineral recovery.

The Bruening Lab's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated membrane-based separation technologies with applications spanning from clinical diagnostics to sustainable resource recovery. His work shows particular strength in developing membranes for selective ion separations (especially for rare earth elements), rapid antibody analysis, and integrated sample preparation for mass spectrometry. The research consistently bridges fundamental membrane transport phenomena with practical applications in biotechnology and environmental engineering.

• Benedetti-Pichler Award of the American Microchemical Society (2016)
• MSU Innovation of the Year (2015)
• MSU College of Natural Science Distinguished Faculty Award (2014)
• Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry Young Investigator Award (2000)
• MSU Sigma Xi Junior Meritorious Faculty (2002)
• MSU College of Natural Science Teacher-Scholar Award (2003)

Dr. Bruening has developed numerous membrane-based technologies that have translated to practical applications, including commercial products for protein purification. His teaching includes graduate courses on surface analysis techniques and transport phenomena, as well as undergraduate separation processes. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science, an M.S. in Chemistry, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University, providing him with a strong interdisciplinary foundation for his work at the intersection of chemistry and engineering.

The Bruening Lab maintains active research programs in membrane modification, ion separations, and protein analysis technologies. His team develops novel membrane reactors, electrodialysis systems, and affinity membranes with applications in biopharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, and resource recovery. Current research directions include electrodialysis for salt purification, modified membranes for protein purification, counter-flow electromigration ion separations, and rapid antibody digestion in protease-containing membranes.