Professor Brad Nelson at the Institue of Robotics and Intelligent Systems operates an Octomag - an instrument whose eight electromagnetic coils permit maneuvering micro-robots through the eye to deliver drugs to the retina.

Wilfred van Gunsteren

Wilfred F. van Gunsteren is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich

Professor van Gunsteren’s research activities include the development of methods for the simulation of the behavior of biomolecular systems, their conversion into computer programs and their application in problems of practical interest.

Curriculum Vitae

Born

Netherlands

Professional Background

  • Undergraduate studies in physics and law at the Free University in Amsterdam
  • Doctorate studies on "The nuclear quasiparticle model" in 1976
  • Postdoctoral studies at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands
  • Postdoctoral studies at Harvard University
  • Senior assistant
  • Professor for Physical Chemistry at the University of Groningen 1990
  • Part-time professor for computer aided physics at the Free University in Amsterdam 1987-1992
  • Full Professor of Computer Aided Chemistry at the ETH Zurich 1990-present
  • Founder and Director of software company ‘Biomos’ in Groningen 1986-present

Biomos sells the computer simulation program GROMOS (GROningen MOlecular Simulation) for the simulation of biomolecular systems.

Achievements

Major Awards

  • Royal Dutch Union of Chemists Gold Medal for Research 1987
  • Max-Planck Forschungspreis für Chemie und Pharmazie 2002
  • Distinguished Lecturer, CMMS, University of Pittsburgh 2009

Key Memberships

Member of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences of the Netherlands