• Source: Helmut Ringsdorf

Helmut Ringsdorf (30 July 1929 – 20 March 2023) was a German polymer chemist. His work 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.




Personal life


Ringsdorf was born in Gießen, People's State of Hesse in 1929.
Ringsdorf died on 20 March 2023, at the age of 93.




Education


Ringsdorf took undergraduate studies in Chemistry, Politics and Geology at the universities at Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Freiburg.
In 1956, Ringsdorf wrote his master's thesis under Hermann Staudinger and, in 1958, wrote his doctoral dissertation under Staudinger and Elfriede Husemann. He was Staudinger's last student.




Postgraduate work


1959, Teaching Assistant, University of Freiburg, Germany, Polymer Chemistry.
1960, Research Associate, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Brooklyn/United States, Polymer Science.




Appointments/Affiliations


1962–1967, Assistant Professor University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
1967–1968, Associate Professor University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
1969–1970, Professor of Polymer Science, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
1971–1994, Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
1973–1975, Dean of Science University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
1988–2003, Adjunct Professor of Poly. Sci., Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
1994–2000, Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, University of London, London, United Kingdom
1995–2000, Courtauld Visiting Professor, University of California, Los Angeles United States
2001–2005, Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Cardiff/Wales, United Kingdom




Honors and awards


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




Memberships


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




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 (rods, discs, boards) 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 (detergents, lipids), 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.




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Helmut Ringsdorf
• List of German chemists
• Olaf Karthaus
• Deaths in March 2023
• Hermann Staudinger
• Jilin University
• Layer by layer
• David W. Grainger
• Hermann Staudinger Prize
• Gay-Lussac–Humboldt Prize