Joseph Mark DeSimone

Professor Joseph DeSimone is the Sanjiv Sam Gambhir Professor of Translational Medicine and Chemical Engineering at Stanford University. Previously, he was the Chancellor's Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. DeSimone discovered supercritical CO2 as an environmentally benign medium in the polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene, a process that was applied commercially by DuPont to make Teflon. His subsequent invention of CO2-philic detergents made liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide a general solvent for polymerizations, dry cleaning, and preparation of microelectronic circuits. He is also responsible for the co-invention of the particle replication in non-wetting templates (PRINT) nanoparticle fabrication technology, as well as the continuous liquid interface production (CLIP) polymer 3D printing technology. Based on PRINT, which enables the fabrication of uniform nanoparticles for medicine with precise control over particle parameters, DeSimone has published studies delivering insights into the design of vaccines and targeted therapeutics. He also co-founded biotechnology company Liquidia Technologies (NASDAQ: LQDA) based on PRINT. Based on CLIP, which enables continuous 3D printing of polymer parts and products, a departure from slow layer-by-layer techniques, DeSimone co-founded Carbon, Inc. He and team have also developed new 3D printing materials that have led to innovative products produced with CLIP in industries including footwear, automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. His awards include: Recipient of The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2016), Recipient of the Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy and Employment (2017), Recipient of the Wilhelm Exner Medal (2019), Member of the National Academy of Medicine (2014), Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2012), Member of the National Academy of Engineering (2005), and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2006).