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Research

A Legacy of Discovery

Shaping Today's World

Engineering Enzymes for a Better World

Nobel Laureate Frances Arnold pioneered directed evolution, a method to rapidly evolve enzymes that power cleaner, greener technologies. Her work enables sustainable manufacturing, more efficient drug production, and renewable alternatives to plastics and fuels—transforming how we solve global challenges using the tools of biology.

Unlocking the Cell's Gatekeeper

André Hoelz cracked the atomic structure of the nuclear pore complex—the vital gateway that controls access to a cell’s nucleus. His work lays the foundation for new treatments targeting cancer, viral infections, and neurodegenerative diseases, while opening doors to future advances in synthetic biology and precision medicine.

Noninvasive Imaging for the Thinking Brain

Mikhail Shapiro’s team developed a groundbreaking way to use ultrasound to image brain activity through a transparent skull implant. This innovation enables real-time, noninvasive monitoring of thought and movement—paving the way for safer brain–computer interfaces and new treatments for neurological disorders.

Energy Storage, Reinvented

Kim See is developing next-generation battery materials that are safer, longer-lasting, and made from more sustainable elements. Her work paves the way for cleaner energy storage—powering everything from electric cars to the renewable energy grid.

Simulating Molecules to Solve Big Problems

Sandeep Sharma develops powerful quantum chemistry tools that allow scientists to simulate the behavior of complex molecules with unprecedented accuracy. By combining physics, chemistry, and computer science, his work helps explain how molecules behave during chemical reactions—insights that are essential for designing cleaner energy sources, more efficient catalysts, and new materials. His research brings us closer to solving some of the toughest challenges in climate, health, and sustainable technology—all by starting at the quantum level.

Turning Molecules into Clean Energy Solutions

Karthish Manthiram designs new chemical reactions that transform everyday molecules—like water, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide—into fuels, fertilizers, and useful materials using electricity from renewable sources. His research aims to replace fossil-fuel-driven chemical processes with sustainable, electrified alternatives, helping to decarbonize industries that are among the world’s biggest polluters. By reimagining chemistry for the climate era, Manthiram’s work points the way toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future.

Visions for the Future

Researchers in the Datta Lab have discovered that bacterial cells growing in a solution of polymers, such as mucus, form long cables that buckle and twist on each other, building a kind of "living Jell-O." The finding could be particularly important to the study and treatment of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, in which the mucus that lines the lungs becomes more concentrated, often causing bacterial infections that take hold in that mucus to become life threatening.
The Marcus Center for Theoretical Chemistry at Caltech is dedicated to advancing our fundamental understanding of the chemical world through the power of theory, computation, and collaboration.