Frank Leibfarth receives Carolina’s first Blavatnik award

Carolina chemistry professor Frank Leibfarth is the 2025 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists laureate within the chemical sciences, introduced Oct. 7 in New York. Inspired by the Nobel Prizes, the Blavatnik National Awards are the most important unrestricted prizes for early-career researchers within the United States. Leibfarth’s award is $250,000.

This yr’s different two laureates are Philip J. Kranzusch from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who received the prize within the life sciences class, and Elaina J. Sutley from the University of Kansas, who received the prize within the bodily sciences and engineering class.

The laureates had been chosen from a pool of 310 nominees representing 161 tutorial and analysis establishments throughout 42 states. The award is “designed to empower them with the freedom to continue to explore bold ideas, driving scientific innovation forward,” stated Len Blavatnik, head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

“We are tremendously proud of professor Leibfarth for this well-deserved recognition of his groundbreaking work in the chemical sciences,” stated Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “Being named a Blavatnik laureate is an extraordinary achievement and a historic first for Carolina, reflecting the far-reaching impact of his research and innovation.”

Leibfarth, the Royce Murray Distinguished Term Professor of Chemistry and the inaugural Institute for Convergent Science college fellow, was awarded the prize “for pioneering approaches to upcycle plastic waste and remove toxic ‘forever chemicals’ from water by developing reactions and catalysts that selectively control the structure and function of polymers.”

“Frank is an incredible asset to the College of Arts and Sciences and the Carolina community,” stated Jim White, the Craver Family Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “His intuitive scientific insights and passion for service are making an impact on the state of North Carolina and inspiring students, staff and fellow faculty alike. We’re delighted to see him receive this well-earned and remarkable honor.”

Leibfarth stated he was particularly proud to obtain the award for his work at a state university. “Being able to do groundbreaking research that serves the students and citizens of the state is immensely fulfilling and is a responsibility I take seriously,” he stated.

In addition to enhancing the world’s plastic waste drawback, Leibfarth additionally creates polymers to filter dangerous family chemical substances known as PFAS out of water. (Photo by John Gove)

Absorbing PFAS and upcycling plastic

Leibfarth research polymers, or lengthy chains of repeating chemical constructions that make up supplies from plastic and rubber to fingernails and DNA. Faced with the issue of poisonous chemical substances in river water, he started designing a hydrogel, the kind of materials utilized in diapers, to soak up PFAS.

Leibfarth received assist to scale up his resolution from the North Carolina Collaboratory and its NC Pure analysis mission. Leibfarth and collaborator Orlando Coronell performed pilot exams in 4 municipal water remedy utilities and cofounded a start-up firm to implement the expertise extra broadly.

Leibfarth’s experience in polymer chemistry additionally helped him see how the bonds of the widespread plastics polyethylene and polypropylene might be modified to provide new, extra useful supplies, thereby “upcycling” the plastic waste.

Leibfarth has collaborated with quite a few industrial companions to translate this work from a laboratory setting to a business setting, whereas working to deal with key financial and environmental limitations.

Honors and achievements

Some of Leibfarth’s different accolades embrace a Sloan Research Fellowship in Chemistry, a Cottrell Scholar Award, the UNC Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, a Barry Goldwater Scholarship, a Presidential Early Career Award and being named a “Brilliant 10” early-career scientist by Popular Science journal.

“Since starting at UNC in 2016, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented and ambitious scientists internationally who care deeply about making plastics more sustainable and removing forever chemicals from our environment,” Leibfarth stated. “The Blavatnik award recognizes their hard work and dedication during their educational journey.”