Helmut Ringsdorf


Helmut Ringsdorf in Gießen, Germany is a German polymer chemist. His work has promoted cross-disciplinary discussions and collaborations in the field of polymer chemistry, biology, physics and medicine.
Ringsdorf's major research works deal with the self-assembly of polymers into functional aggregates, where 'the whole is more than the sum of its parts'. He is known for being the first to propose covalently bonding drugs to water-soluble polymers.

Early life

Rignsdorf was born in Gießen, Hesse, Germany in 1929.

Education

Rignsdorf took undergraduate studies in Chemistry, Politics and Geology at the universities at Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Freiburg.

Postgraduate work

1960, Research Associate, Polytechnic Inst.of Brooklyn, Brooklyn/United States, Polymer Science.
1959, Teaching Assistant, University of Freiburg, Germany, Polymer Chemistry.
1958, Ph. D., University of Freiburg, Chemistry.
1956, M.S., University Freiburg, Research Assistant of 1953 Nobel Prize winner Hermann Staudinger.
1953, B.S. Technical University, Darmstadt.
1951, Universities Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Freiburg, Chemistry, Politics, Geology

Appointments/Affiliations

2001–Present, Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Cardiff/Wales, United Kingdom
1995-1999 Courtauld Visiting Professor, University of California, Los Angeles United States
1994-2000 Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, University of London, London United Kingdom
1988–Present Adjunct Professor of Poly. Sci., Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
1973-1975 Dean of Science University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
1971-1994 Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
1969-1970 Professor of Polymer Science, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
1967-1968 Associate Professor University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
1962-1967 Assistant Professor University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany

Honors/Awards

2003 Abbé-Lectureship University of Jena, Jena, Germany
2002 Prize for Technology a. Appl. Science C.F.-Pastor-Foundation, Aachen/München, Germany
2001 Friendship Award of the P.R.China Beijing, P.R.China
2000 Honored Member of the Liquid Crystal Society LC-Society; Shinshu University, Japan
2000 Rohm and Haas Polymer Lecturer University of California, Berkeley
1999 Doctor Honoris Causa ETH Zurich
1998 Distinguished Shipley Lecturer Clarkson University
1997 Eminent Scientist of RIKEN, RIKEN (Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Tokyo
1997 E. Gordon Young Memorial Lectureship The Chemical Institute of Canada
1996 Centenary Lectureship Award Royal Society of Chemistry, UK
1996 A. Cruikshank Lecture Award in Chemical Sciences Gordon Conferences
1996 Distinguished Professorship Kyoto University
1996 Pierre Duhem Lectures University of Bordeaux, France
1996 Otto M. Smith Lecture Oklahoma State University
1996 Rushmer Lecture University of Washington
1996 Aggarwal Lectures Cornell University, Ithaca
1995 Doctor Honoris Causa University of Dublin, Trinity College
1995 Pirkey Lecture University of Texas
1994 ACS-Award in Polymer Chemistry American Chemical Society
1994 Rothschild Professor Curie Institute, Paris
1994 Ziegler-Natta Lectureship Italian Chemical Society
1994 G.M.J. Schmidt Lecture Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
1993 Japanese Polymer Award Society of Polymer Science, Tokyo
1993 Doctor Honoris Causa Université Paris, Paris-Sud
1993 Chevalier l'ordre des Palmes Acad. Palmes Acad., Paris
1993 Miles Lectureship University of Pittsburgh
1992 G. Smets Chair in Polymer Science Universities of Leuven
1992 A. von Humboldt Award Ministere Français de la Recherche
1992 C.B. Purves Lectures McGill University
1992 Melvin Calvin Lectureship University of California, Berkeley
1991 German-Dartmouth Distinguished Professorship Dartmouth College, Hanover
1990 O.K. Rice Lectures University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1990 CMSE- Distinguished Visiting Scholarship Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1990 IBM-Research Centre Lectureship IBM, San José
1989 IMS-Distinguished Lectureship University of Connecticut
1988 Chaire Francqui University of Liège
1987 Frontiers in Chemistry Lectureship Case Western Reserve University
1987 Mobay Lectures/P. Debye Lectureship Cornell University
1986 Semon Lectureship University of Kent
1985 H. Staudinger Award for Polym. Sci. German Chemical Society
1982 R.T. Major Lectureship University of Connecticut
1981 JSPS-Fellowship for Polymer Science Jap. Soc. for Promotion of Sci., Tokyo
1980 H.F. Mark Award for Polymer Science Austrian Chemical Society, Vienna
1969 K. Winnacker Award Farbwerke Hoechst, Frankfurt
1960 Carl Duisberg Fellowship Duisberg Foundation, Bonn

Memberships

1999 Russian Academy of Science, Moscow Foreign Member
1998- Conseil National de La Science, Ministere de l'Education, de la Rescherche et de la Technologie Member Advisory Board, Paris
1991 Nordrh.-Westf. Academy of Science Corresponding Member
1990-1993 German Fonds der Chemie Scientific Committee
1989-1994 Committee Scientifique, Paris Member
1985-1992 Academy of Science, Berlin/DDR Foreign Member
1979 Academy of Sciences and Literature, Mainz Member
1978-1984 Member of the World Health Organization's Committee on Fertility Regulation
1976-1989 DAAD Committee for Scientific Exchange
1976-1979 German Fonds der Chemie Scientific Committee
1971-1976 A. von Humboldt Foundation Member Foundation Committee

Research interests

Field of Expertise & Research Interests:
Polymer Science as a Bridge between Material Science and Life Science.
Molecular Architecture and Functionalization of Polymeric Liquid Crystals:
Synthesis, structure and property of liquid crystalline side group and main chain polymers; variation of the type of mesogens and variation of phases. Dye containing and photoreactive liquid crystalline polymers for reversible information storage and non linear optic materials. Phase induction and phase variation of liquid crystalline systems via Charge-Transfer-interaction and metal complexation. Photoconductive discotic systems.
Synthesis, Structure and Properties of Functional Supramolecular Systems:
Polymerizable and functional amphiphiles, polymeric monolayers and multilayers via the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and via self-assembly on various surfaces. Liposomes, Black Lipid Membranes, mobile supported bilayers, H-bond induced band structures in water, organization and recognition induced functionality. Multicompartment polymer micelles.
Attempts to Mimic Biomembrane Processes:
Synthetic and natural receptors in molecular assemblies; molecular recognition, 2D-crystallization and function of proteins on monolayers and liposomes, e.g. lectins, streptavidin, monoclonal antibodies, phospholipase A2 and acetylcholinesterase, tailoring of bioreactive surfaces; mixed protein multilayers. Protein-DNA-interaction at ligand lipid monolayers.
Polymers as Active Agents in the Medical Field:
Polymer Therapeutics, Polymer radiation prophylactics, polymeric antitumour agents on a molecular and a cellular level.