Bernard Feringa

Bernard Lucas Feringa was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the design and synthesis of molecular machines in October 2016. His research interests include stereochemistry, organic synthesis, asymmetric catalysis, molecular switches and motors, self-assembly, molecular nanosystems and photopharmacology. Prof. Feringa, who received two ERC Advanced Grants, is the pioneer of rotary molecular motors. These machines are the size of individual molecules and their integration into entire molecular structures will enable the development of molecular nanomachines, such as nanorobots, with possible applications in cancer therapy and drug administration. Prof. Feringa obtained his PhD at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). After working as a research scientist at Shell, he was appointed lecturer and in 1988 full professor at the University of Groningen and named the Jacobus H. van't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Molecular Sciences in 2004. Prof. Feringa was elected Foreign Honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and member and vice-president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences. His research has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Spinoza Award (2004). In 2008 Prof. Feringa was appointed Academy Professor and was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands and, in 2016, he was appointed Commander in the Order of the Netherlands Lion.