Theresa M. Reineke, Ph.D., is joining the Department of Chemistry as a professor with tenure in September 2011. With expertise in polymer science and gene therapy and diagnostics, Reineke is a world leader in the area of polymer/deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nanostructures for medical applications.
"Professor Reineke's research is highly collaborative," said William Tolman, Department of Chemistry chair, "which bodes well for extensive collaborations across multiple colleges at the University of Minnesota." For example, she will interact with colleagues in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Materials Science and Engineering Research Center (College of Science & Engineering), the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Academic Health Center), and the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (Academic Health Center) to solve important problems in polymer synthesis and characterization, develop innovative gene therapies, and invent new methods for magnetic resonance imaging.
Reineke earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry/physics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, her master's degree in chemistry from Arizona State University, and her doctorate in chemistry from the University of Michigan. Her graduate degrees adviser was Omar M. Yaghi. Under his tutelage, Reineke studied the synthesis and characterization of metal-organic framework materials.