news of the week JUNE 22, 2015 EDITED BY WILLIAM G. SCHULZ & CRAIG BETTENHAUSEN
MOSTAFA EL-SAYED WINS PRIESTLEY MEDAL
GEORGIA TECH
chemical and physical properties has been cited some 5,000 times since it was published in 2005. Another paper, this one detailing the synthesis of gold nanorods with narrow size and shape distributions, has remained Chemistry of Materials’ most cited and downloaded paper for several years in a row. El-Sayed’s group led the way in explaining the exceptionally intense fluorescence signal ACS AWARDS: Georgia Tech generated by these nanorods and how to use them for nanomaterials pioneer honored for diagnostics and research and ACS community service cancer phototherapy. In related work, the team showed that cusOME PEOPLE JUST don’t know when to slow tom-made nanopartidown. Eighty-two-year-old Mostafa A. El-Sayed cles could be used with is one of them. Raman spectroscopy For nearly 60 years, El-Sayed, who is a Regents’ Proto observe real-time fessor and Julius Brown Chair at Georgia Institute of molecular changes in Technology , has conducted highly acclaimed chemistry single cells and to folresearch and served as a chemistry educator and journal low the dynamics of editor. He is as active in science now as ever. In recognidrug delivery in cancer tion of his decades-long contributions to chemistry, cells and their ensuing El-Sayed will receive the Priestley Medal, the American apoptosis. Chemical Society’s highest honor, in 2016. El-Sayed’s col“This is wonderful news, just fantastic,” an ecstatic leagues are quick to El-Sayed told C&EN from Egypt, where he manages share their enthuEl-Sayed research groups at Cairo University and the National siasm for the nanoResearch Centre of Egypt, also in Cairo. materials pioneer. “I am lucky to have been in the right place and with Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ahmed H. Zewail of Califorthe right society,” he added, referring to his many years nia Institute of Technology asserts that El-Sayed has of service to ACS, especially as editor-in-chief of the made “significant and seminal contributions to several Journal of Physical Chemistry, a position he held for 24 areas of physical and biophysical chemistry.” Pointing years. to El-Sayed’s recent cancer studies, Zewail adds that During his extensive scientific career, El-Sayed, who El-Sayed “masterfully shows his innovative and creis currently the director of Georgia Tech’s Laser Dyative approach and the ability to tackle interesting and namics Laboratory, has carried broad-ranging problems.” out numerous lines of research. ACS Chief Executive Officer Early on he developed molecuand Executive Director Thomas lar spectroscopy techniques to M. Connelly Jr. concurs. “Moelucidate the molecular mechastafa El-Sayed is an outstanding nisms and dynamics of molechoice” to receive ACS’s most cules, gas-phase clusters, solids, prestigious award, Connelly says. and photobiological systems. He adds that El-Sayed’s contribuMore recently, El-Sayed’s tions to nanoscience are “truly research group has focused on groundbreaking,” and it is fitting developing nanoscale materithat El-Sayed be recognized for als and using those materials in inspiring students throughout catalysis, medicine, and senshis career and for his many years ing. The work has had quite an of journal editing. Connelly adds impact on the field, garnering that he’s looking forward to hearnumerous citations. ing El-Sayed share reflections on For example, one of the his career during the Priestley Custom-made gold nanoparticles group’s review papers outlining prepared by El-Sayed’s group penetrate award address at the March 2016 the connections between the ACS national meeting in San human cancer cell nuclei, serving as shapes of nanocrystals and their Diego.—MITCH JACOBY microscopic beacons for apoptosis. ACS NANO
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