Yamuna Krishnan, PhD

Yamuna Krishnan, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, has led her group to pioneer the development of DNA-based molecular devices for the study of cell physiology at the nanoscale. This breakthrough has enabled chemical imaging and eliminated decades-old bottlenecks. Krishnan’s achievements have earned her numerous accolades, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for Chemical Sciences, the Infosys Prize for Physical Sciences, and the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award. She was also included in Cell’s 40 under 40 list of scientists shaping current and future trends in biology. Krishnan has co-founded two companies, Esya Inc and MacroLogic Inc, which use her patented organelle-targeting nanotechnology for diagnostics and therapeutics. She serves as an editor for Chemical Reviews and the Journal of Physiology, and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics, as well as the Brain Research Foundation (USA)