Merlin L. Bruening

Principal Investigator

Donald and Susan Rice Professor of Engineering
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Education

Postdoctoral: NIH Fellow, Texas A&M University, 1995-1997
PhD: The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 1990-95
Major: Chemistry
Dissertation Subject: Modification of Surface Electronic Properties by Organic Ligand Adsorption
MS: Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 1989-90
Major: Chemistry
Thesis Subject: Applications of Immobilized Ligands in Cation and Anion Separations
BS: Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 1983-84, 1986-89
Major: Chemical Engineering
Honors: Magna Cum Laude, Am. Inst. of Chem. Eng. Outstanding Graduate, Spencer W. Kimball Scholar

Michigan State University
Assistant Professor 1997-2002
Associate Professor 2002-2007
Full Professor 2007-2016

Synthesized high-capacity, modified porous membranes for protein purification (now a commercial product)
Developed enzyme-containing membranes for controlled proteolysis prior to mass spectrometry
Created high-flux, high selectivity polyelectrolyte membranes for ion and gas separations
Prepared modified MALDI plates for on-probe purification of protein digests
Developed a method for growing thick polymer brushes from gold
Created highly selective nanoparticle catalysts and membrane catalysts
Introduced interface science experiments into undergraduate and graduate level courses

Texas A&M University 1995-1997
Created hyperbranched polymer films for sensing applications
Developed fluorinated polymer films for corrosion protection

Weizmann Institute of Science 1990-1995
Created a method to control semiconductor work functions with organic ligands
Characterized new surfaces by FTIR and Kelvin probe measurements
Calculated the likely structure of a new self-assembled monolayer