rofessor Robert Langer, David H. Koch Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be the honored speaker at the Axalta Distinguished Lectures sponsored by Axalta Coating Systems and hosted by the Department of Chemistry of the University of Pennsylvania.  Dr. Langer’s lecture, Biomaterials and Biotechnology, will examine the field from the discovery of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to the development of controlled drug delivery systems.

“This lecture series is part of a program between Axalta Coating Systems and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania that enables world class scientists to share their research and perspectives with highly motivated students and faculty in an academic setting,” explained Panos Kordomenos, Axalta’s Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. “This year’s lecture renews a long-term collaboration with the University, a top academic institution, and is part of Axalta’s commitment to foster innovation and the advancement of coating sciences, material sciences and chemistry,” Kordomenos added.

Dr. Langer has written over 1,200 articles and has 815 issued and pending patents worldwide.  His patents have been licensed or sublicensed to over 250 pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and medical device companies.  He is the most cited engineer in history.

“We are excited to have an opportunity to renew our relationship with Axalta,” said Gary A. Molander, Department Chair and Hirschmann-Makineni Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. “This collaborative relationship has resulted in groundbreaking research and opportunities to interact with and learn from some of the most eminent scholars in the world. Dr. Langer certainly allows us to continue this amazing tradition. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Axalta and we are grateful for its support.”

As a leading global company focused 100% on coatings, Axalta is committed to advancing science, especially the chemistry of materials used for producing coatings that are built to perform.  This year Axalta, previously known as DuPont Performance Coatings, renews its commitment to the lecture series and to fostering scientific communication by renaming the series the Axalta Distinguished Lectures.

The lecture series ran initially from 1987 through 2008.  Prior speakers have included  world renowned scientists, including Nobel Prize laureates Ahmed Zewail (Chemistry 1999), Steven Chu (Physics 1997), Harold Kroto (Chemistry 1996), Richard  Smalley (Chemistry 1996), George Olah (Chemistry 1994), P.G. de Gennes (Physics 1991), Elias Corey (Chemistry 1990), Thomas Cech (Chemistry 1989), Donald Cram (Chemistry 1987), Jean-Marie Lehn (Chemistry 1987), John Polanyi (Chemistry 1986), Yuan Lee (Chemistry 1986), Roald Hoffmann (Chemistry 1981) and Herbert Brown (Chemistry 1979).