Jonathan Dordick
Encyclopedia
Jonathan S. Dordick is the Howard P. Isermann Professor of Biochemical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
. In 2008 he became director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies
.
. He received his B.A. degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Brandeis University
and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in Biochemical Engineering. In 1987, Dr. Dordick joined the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Iowa
. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1991, to Full Professor in 1994, and served as Department Chair from 1995-1998. In 1998, Prof. Dordick joined the faculty at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering and professor.
He has a son (Samuel Dordick) and a daughter (Hannah Dordick). Jonathan is happily married to Vera Dordick.
working on biomedical technologies. Present and past research has included studies of Biocatalysis in Nonaqueous Media, Combinatorial Biocatalysis, Nanobiotechnology, enzyme technology, molecular bioprocessing. More specifically, they work on the development of enzymatic catalysis under extreme conditions (e.g. high salt concentrations), enzymes in the synthesis and modification of polymeric materials, combinatorial biocatalysis for drug discovery and polymer synthesis, and the generation of biocatalysts and biomimetics with unique activities and selectivities. Dordick has been featured in the news for helping develop the "MetaChip" technology for fast drug screening, and for research on gel nanomaterials that could be used to control the delivery of drugs.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
. In 2008 he became director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies
Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies
The Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies is a research facility at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute . The building is located on 15th street between RPI’s Playhouse and Academy Hall, next to the Center for Industrial Innovation...
.
Background
Prof. Dordick was born on January 15, 1959 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He received his B.A. degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in Biochemical Engineering. In 1987, Dr. Dordick joined the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1991, to Full Professor in 1994, and served as Department Chair from 1995-1998. In 1998, Prof. Dordick joined the faculty at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering and professor.
He has a son (Samuel Dordick) and a daughter (Hannah Dordick). Jonathan is happily married to Vera Dordick.
Research
Professor Dordick currently leads the Jonathan S. Dordick Research Group, which works in part at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary StudiesCenter for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies
The Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies is a research facility at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute . The building is located on 15th street between RPI’s Playhouse and Academy Hall, next to the Center for Industrial Innovation...
working on biomedical technologies. Present and past research has included studies of Biocatalysis in Nonaqueous Media, Combinatorial Biocatalysis, Nanobiotechnology, enzyme technology, molecular bioprocessing. More specifically, they work on the development of enzymatic catalysis under extreme conditions (e.g. high salt concentrations), enzymes in the synthesis and modification of polymeric materials, combinatorial biocatalysis for drug discovery and polymer synthesis, and the generation of biocatalysts and biomimetics with unique activities and selectivities. Dordick has been featured in the news for helping develop the "MetaChip" technology for fast drug screening, and for research on gel nanomaterials that could be used to control the delivery of drugs.
Honors
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
(2004) - University of IowaUniversity of IowaThe University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
Faculty Scholars Award - International Enzyme Engineering Award (2003) with Doug Clark
- Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (1996)
- In 1992, Chairman of the Division of Biochemical Technology of the ACS
- NSFNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
Presidential Young Investigator Award (1989) - Inventor/co-inventor on 18 patents.