Christopher Jaroniec, professor, chemistry and biochemistry, will receive the 2014 Founders’ Medal from the International Council on Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems (ICMRBS) during the 26th ICMRBS meeting in Dallas, Texas, August 24-29. The Founders' Medal recognizes exceptional contributions to the development and/or progress of the field of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in biological systems.

Jaroniec and his research group develop and apply cutting-edge, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to get a better look at the 3D structure, dynamics and interactions of large biological molecules. These molecules play key roles in fundamental biological processes, including the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative protein misfolding diseases and regulation of gene expression.

"I was of course honored and delighted to learn of the recognition of our research by the ICMRBS Council," Jaroniec said. "I also think that my selection underscores how truly rapidly the discipline of biological solid-state NMR spectroscopy has been developing over the past decade or so through the efforts of many researchers world-wide, with three of the four previous awardees working in the same field," he added.

Jaroniec’s research in biological solid-state NMR has been previously recognized by a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, a Young Investigator Award from Eli Lilly and a Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award.

He also recently led a team of researchers at Ohio State and Case Western Reserve University to win a $2 Million High-End Instrumentation grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This award was used to purchase a new high-field wide-bore solid-state NMR instrument, the first of its kind in the state of Ohio and one of few nationwide.

--Sandi Rutkowski