Frances S. Ligler (born June 11, 1951) is a

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

and bioengineer who was a 2017 inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Ligler's research dramatically improved the effectiveness of biosensors while at the same time reducing their size and increasing automation. Her work on biosensors made it easier to detect toxins and pathogens in food, water, or when airborne. In a 2017 interview, Ligler summarized her work: " Optical biosensors is a whole field where biological molecules are being used for recognition and transduce an optical signal to a small device. My teams and I demonstrated the use of optical biosensors for detection of pathogens in food, infectious diseases in people, biological warfare agents, environmental pollutants, explosives and drugs of abuse — things that can kill you." Ligler's interests include microfluidics, tissue on chips, optical analytical devices, biosensors and nanotechnology. Ligler holds 37 patents and has authored over 400 scientific papers.

Biography

Ligler received a B.S. from

Furman University Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...

and a D.Phil. and D.Sc. from

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. In 1986, she joined the

US Naval Research Laboratory The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. It was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, applied research, technological ...

, where she developed sensors to detect

anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...

and

botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neuromusc ...

that were deployed during

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

. In 2013, she left the US Naval Research Laboratory to become the Lampe Distinguished Professor of

Biomedical Engineering Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic). BME is also traditionally logical sciences ...

in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...

and the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

. She received honorary doctorates from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece in 2014 and from Furman University in 2018. In 2022, she became Professor and Eppright Chair in Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Awards and honors

*1992, Office of National Drug Control Policy Technology Transfer Award for Drug Enforcement *1993, Hillebrand Prize, Chemical Society of Washington, D.C. *1997, U.S. Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Scientific Achievement Award *2000, Fellow, SPIE *2000, Navy Superior Civilian Service Award *2003, Christopher Columbus Foundation Homeland Security Award (Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Field) *2003, Presidential Rank of Distinguished Senior Professional, awarded by President George W. Bush *2005, Elected Member, U.S. National Academy of Engineering *2006, Distinguished Furman Alumni of the 20th Century *2009, Partnership for Public Service's Service to America Medals Finalist, Career Achievement *2012, Presidential Rank of Meritorious Senior Professional, awarded by President Barack H. Obama *2012, Elected Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering *2013, Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science *2014, Honorary doctorate, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece *2016, Carl Kohrt Distinguished Alumni Award, Furman University *2016, Elected Fellow, National Academy of Inventors *2017, Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Analytical Chemistry, ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry *2017, Honorary Member, Hellenic Society for Nanotechnology in Health Sciences *2017, Inductee, National Inventors Hall of Fame * 2018, Honorary doctorate, Furman University *2020, Simon Ramo Founders Award, National Academy of Engineering *2022, National Award in Analytical Chemistry, American Chemical Society

References

External links

United States patent 5077210 for immobilization of active agents on substrates with a silane and heterobifunctional crosslinking agent
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ligler, Frances 1951 births Living people Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering American women biochemists Furman University alumni Academics of the University of Oxford North Carolina State University faculty University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty American biomedical engineers American women academics 21st-century American women Texas A&M University