Berkeley Scientific Journal

Professor Francis completed his doctoral thesis on the discovery and optimization of transition metal catalysts at Harvard University in 1999 and then moved to UC Berkeley as a postdoctoral scholar under organic chemistry Professor Jean Fréchet, working on DNA-facilitated assembly of polymers and the role of dendrimers in pharmaceuticals. In 2001, Francis began his own research career at Berkeley and has been studying organic reactions for protein modification. He has received numerous awards both for his research and his teaching, including the NSF Career Award and the University Distinguished Teaching Award. He is the faculty advisor for the Decal Chemistry 98, “The Chemistry of Cooking” which routinely receives a packed lecture room and rave reviews from the students. The Decal is accessible to students of all majors, regardless of chemistry background.