RSC – Robert Boyle Prize for Analytical Science

Session 1240, 2:00 pm

Room 126A

Norman Dovichi, of Notre Dame University, will receive the Robert Bolye Prize for Analytical science this afternoon. The prize is given by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for outstanding contributions to analytical science.

Dovichi will receive the prize for his pioneering development of ultrasensitive separations, including the first separations at zepto- and yoctomole levels and capillary electrophoresis-based DNA sequencing for the human genome. Norman holds the Grace-Rupley Professorship in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. He has graduated 57 PhD students, has published over 250 papers, and holds seven US patents. He holds an honorary professorship with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Dovichi's research has primarily focused on the use of capillary electrophoresis and ultrasensitive laser-induced fluorescence for analysis of minute amounts of biological molecules. In the 1980s, he introduced the concept of single molecule detection to the chemical literature. In the 1990s, his group used that technology to measure the activity and activation energy of single enzyme molecules. His group also developed capillary array electrophoresis instruments for high-throughput DNA sequencing. This technology was patented and commercialized. He was recognized for this work by the journal Science as an “Unsung Hero of the Human Genome Project.”

Recently, his group focused its attention on chemical cytometry, which is the chemical analysis of the content of single cells. This work lead to the development of a suite of powerful tools for the characterization of glycosphingolipids in single neurons and glia. Most recently, his group developed capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry as a tool for the analysis of zeptomole amounts of peptides and the characterization of the protein content of single cells.