Víctor selected as a Scialog Fellow for Automating Chemical Laboratories
Mar 4, 2025
​
Víctor was selected as a Scialog Fellow and will join the upcoming meeting in Arizona to explore current challenges and innovative solutions for automating chemical laboratories.
​ https://rescorp.org/scialog/automating-chemical-laboratories
Víctor receives a 2025 Thieme Chemistry Journals Award!
Feb 15, 2025
​
The award recognizes promising early-career researchers worldwide. Awardees are selected by the editorial board members of SYNTHESIS, SYNLETT, and SYNFACTS, who seek out exceptional talent in chemical synthesis, catalysis, and related areas of organic chemistry.
​ https://www.thieme.de/en/thieme-chemistry/thieme-chemistry-journals-award-107359.htm 
Víctor receives an LSU Provost's Fund - Big Idea Phase I award!
Jan 1, 2025
​
The groups received seed funding for our project on molecular switches to control mechanosensitive channels in neurons.
https://www.lsu.edu/mediacenter/news/2025/01/28_research_arts_lsu.php 
Jullyane passed her general exam
December 2, 2024

Congratulations to Jullyane for successfully passing her general exam. 
Soumya and Senuri won awards at the LSU 3MT Competition!
November 22, 2024

Congratulations to Soumya and Senuri for their outstanding presentations at the LSU 3-minute Thesis Competition!
Soumya won second place, and Senuri won the People's Choice Award. Both received travel awards.
New Publication in Communications Chemistry
November 8, 2024

We reported the first rotaxane that can be used to modulate the structure and dynamics of lipid membranes in response to light stimulus. We leveraged this to control the release of small molecules from large lipid vesicles and expand or contract giant vesicles. 
​https://www.nature.com/articles/s42004-024-01343-8
New Publication in Materials Advances
October 7, 2024

We reported a new rotaxane bearing thiourea units for the selective recognition and transport of chloride anions across lipid membranes. We investigated the impact of membrane fluidity on transport efficiency and leveraged this understanding to kill antibiotic-resistant and osmotolerant S. aureus. 
​https://doi.org/10.1039/D4MA00794H
Kelsey wins research grant!
August 7, 2024

Congratulations to Kelsey for winning a one-year LSU Discover Project Grant! She is one of the seven undergraduate awardees. Kelsey will develop molecular probes for lipid membranes. 
Maintenance of Lab Instrumentation
August 7, 2024

Big thanks to Udyogi, Senuri, Jullyane, and Khushbu for taking care of our Flash/HPLC!
Special Issue on Synthetic Host Molecules
July 29, 2024

Victor served as a guest editor for the Israel Journal of Chemistry's special issue on Synthetic Host Molecules, which has now been published. The issue includes 11 publications and features both reviews and research articles. 
​https://doi.org/10.1002/ijch.202400053
We Said Goodbye to Nasim
July 17, 2024

We wish Nasim all the best in his new position at Virginia Tech!
We Start the Summer
June 4, 2024

We started the Louisiana Summer with some Ice Cream from the LSU Dairy Store.
Lilia Joined our lab!
June 4, 2024

We welcome Lilia to our group. She will be working on our rotaxanes project.
Kelsey Joined our lab!
May 16, 2024

We welcome Kelsey to our group. She will be working on our molecular probes project.
Víctor Gives Talk at Rice University
April 26, 2024

Víctor gave a talk at his alma mater as a part of the Career Day organized by graduate students.
The Group Attended the ACS National Meeting in NOLA
March 17, 2024

The group traveled to the ACS Meeting in New Orleans and contributed with four posters and three talks.
Artificial Molecular Machines Symposium at ACS Meeting
March 17, 2024

Víctor presented our work on rotaxanes functioning within lipid membranes at the Artificial Molecular Machines Symposium during the ACS meeting in NOLA. 
Víctor was named an Outstanding Reviewer for Molecular Systems Design & Engineering.
March 12, 2024

The editorial team of the RSC journal Molecular Systems Design & Engineering recognized Víctor as an Outstanding Reviewer for his significant contributions to peer review. 
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4ME90024C
January 21, 2024
Brianna and Hannah join our group!
January 12, 2024
Khushbu joins our group!
December 14, 2023
​New paper in Molecular Systems Design & Engineering
We found that light-activated molecular motors can rotate at similar frequencies in PDMS13-b-PEG13 polymersomes and in solution. 
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3ME00165B
December 7, 2023
​New paper in Advanced Materials
A perspective discussing the key approaches to distinguish the mechanical action of molecular motors from photothermal and photodynamic behaviors.  
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202306669
​November 30, 2023
Udyogi wins 2nd place at the three-minutes thesis competition
​October 27, 2023
New funding from the ACS Petroleum Research Fund! 
Our Doctoral New Investigator proposal on molecular cages to understand the reactivity of excited states in confinement was funded by the ACS PRF.
September 7, 2024
Amaya joins our group!
June 1, 2023
​Zuliah joins our group!
May 19, 2023
​Macallister wins the Winifred Burks-Houck Leadership Award! 
​May 18, 2023
​Congratulations to Macallister for her graduation! 
March 5, 2023
​New paper in J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 
Another paper as a result of a great collaboration with Prof. Grill (Graz, Austria). We report how a tip of STM can be used to control the translation direction of single molecules.
http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c3472
​February 20, 2023
​New contribution in Supramolecular Chemistry
We shared our thoughts about the future of light activated (supra)molecular systems in the NASC Conference proceeding.
http://doi.org/10.1080/10610278.2023.2178724
​February 10, 2023
​New paper in J. Phys. Chem. A.
Great collaboration with Prof. Grill and Prof. Hofmann from Graz, Austria. We report a reinforcement learning algorithm that learns how to control single nanocars in the electric field of an STM. 
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.2c08696
January 12, 2023
​Jullyane joins our group
December 20, 2022
​García-López presented at the first North American Supramolecular Chemistry meeting in New Orleans
December 10, 2022
​The group won the door decoration competition
November 10, 2022
​The group presented several posters at the ACS Southwest Regional Meeting 
November 4, 2022
Nasim wins award at the LSU Research Fair
Nasim gave the best presentation among postdocs in the College of Science at the LSU 8th Annual International Research Fair.
October 27, 2022
​García-López presented at the SACNAS meeting in Puerto Rico
Dr. García-Lopez and other awardees from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund gave talks at the SACNAS meeting.
October 22, 2022
​Macallister presented her research at the Science and Spirits day
Macallister represented the Department of Chemistry and presented a poster the the Science and Spirits day from the College of Science.
October 18, 2022
​Macallister wins award at the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium
Macallister won an award for her outstanding presentation at the Organic Synthesis section of the GCURS at Rice University. 
August 20, 2022
​Ella wins LSU Discover Research Grant for the Fall semester
Ella will synthesize molecular containers and investigate their photochemistry and photophysics.
August 8, 2022
​New Paper in Tetrahedron Letters
DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2022.154052
July 1, 2022
​Dr. Garcia-Lopez was selected as the first recipient of the Sauvage-Stoddart-Feringa Junior Award for his contributions to Artificial Molecular Machines!
https://www.lsu.edu/science/chemistry/news/2022/july/molecular-machines.php
April 26, 2022
​Macallister received a poster award during LSU Discover Day! She was among the top 3 scoring students from the College of Science.
May 1, 2022
Dr. Nasim Akhtar joins our group as a postdoctoral researcher! 
January 4, 2022
​Dr. Garcia-Lopez was named 2022 Foresight Institute Fellow in Molecular Machines!
https://foresight.org/fellowship/2022-fellow-victor-garcia-lopez/
December 23, 2021
Dr. Garcia-Lopez received the Single Investigator Award from the Louisiana Materials Design Alliance (LAMDA). 

December 17, 2021
​Clara joins our group. Welcome! 

December 17, 2021
Congratulations to Gabriela for her graduation! 

September 9, 2021​
Ella joins our group. Welcome! 

August 9, 2021
 Gabriela wins the Travel & Career/Professional Development Award from the ACS Bridge Project! 

July 6, 2021
Macallister joins our group. Welcome! 

​May 24, 2021
Udyogi, Senuri, and Soumya join our group. Welcome!

May 20, 2021
Gabriela wins LSU Discover Summer Research Grant. 
Gabriela will synthesize artificial molecular machines that can interrogate and modulate cell function. 

Jan 11, 2021
Philip joins our group. Welcome!

​September 30, 2021
William joins our group. Welcome!

September 24, 2020​​
Chemistry Lost a Hero. Tribute to François Diederich 
​Prof. François Diederich passed away on September 23, 2020, after a battle with cancer. He was a brilliant scientist ahead of his time and a leader in several fields. His contributions shaped Organic Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry, and Medicinal Chemistry. 
He was also a wonderful mentor and a great human being. His enthusiasm for science and life was contagious and inspired generations of young scientists. He mentored 147 Ph.D. students and over 100 postdocs; his legacy will prevail forever. 
His passion for science was endless, even during his last days. It was an honor publishing with him his last work, which appeared in the 50th issue of Chemistry-A European Journal on September 4, 2020. 
Thank you for all your lessons, support, and mentoring. Goodbye, François, we will dearly miss you!
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.202101232

August 18, 2020 
Light-activated Cavitands work ranked as "hot paper" and chosen to appear on the front cover of Chemistry A European Journal
​https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.202002731

​April 27, 2020
Dr. García-López wins Mentorship Award
Dr. Victor Garcia-Lopez was selected as one of this year’s recipients of the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry. This award recognizes and honors individuals who demonstrate exemplary mentorship to Rice undergraduate students in research, design, and creative works projects. Criteria for selection included best practices in supervision, project support, career and professional development, and inclusivity, and were assessed using student nomination forms.
https://ouri.rice.edu/current-news/ouri-undergraduate-research-mentor-award
​​July 30, 2019​
García-López wins Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Career Award at the Scientific Interface  
The award will provide us with $500,000 over five years as a financial bridge between the postdoctoral training at Rice and the first years of faculty service at LSU. This grant foster the early career development of researchers who are transitioning from graduate work in engineering or physical, mathematical or computational sciences and moving into postdoctoral work in the biomedical field. ​​
http://news.rice.edu/2019/07/30/garcia-lopez-wins-prestigious-burroughs-wellcome-fund-career-award/
April 28, 2017
​Winners of the First International NanoCar Race 
Molecule designed and synthesized by García-López during his Ph.D.  finished first in the inaugural Nanocar Race in Toulouse, France. The molecule completed a 150-nanometer course in about 1½ hours. This was a collaborative effort between the groups of Prof. James Tour at Rice University and Prof. Leonhard Grill at the University of Graz.
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i19/Worlds-first-nanocar-race-crowns-champion.html