Now Accepting Nominations for the 2022 Langer Prize
AIChE presented its 2021 Langer Prize for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Excellence to Aditya Kunjapur, Assistant Professor, University of Delaware, at the 2021 AIChE Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, this past November. The fellowship, which is endowed by the AIChE Foundation and administered by AIChE’s Center for Entrepreneuring Excellence (CIEE), is named for biomedical pioneer Robert Langer of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Bob Langer joined the celebration to recognize Aditya and the 2020 Langer Prize Fellow, María Eugenia Inda.
In his laboratory at the University of Delaware, Kunjapur and his research group are designing innovative biomolecular technologies to address a variety of societal needs. He uses approaches from synthetic biology to investigate how microbes can use non-standard chemistry and unusual building blocks to generate products — including fuels, chemicals, materials, and therapeutics — that exhibit enhanced functionality. The Langer Prize will support Kunjapur’s work to boost the efficacy of live vaccines by engineering cells to produce an immunogenic amino acid.
A Tribute to Bob Langer
The Langer Prize for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Excellence awards funding to researchers, particularly those working in chemical and biological engineering in pursuing “blue-sky” ideas that may lead to important technical and commercial innovations.
Langer Fellows are awarded an unrestricted grant up to $100,000, enabling them to tackle their bold and creative ideas into technical and commercial innovations with broad societal impact.
Learn more about the Langer Prize Endowment.
Applications Open for 2022
Applications are currently open for the 2022 Langer Prize and are due by February 15.