Dr. Fenniri was educated at the University of Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, receiving his undergraduate degree in chemistry and biochemistry (1989, top of his class), and his M.Sc./Ph.D. degrees in supramolecular science and engineering (1990/1994) under the supervision of Professor Jean-Marie Lehn (Nobel Laureate). He then joined the Scripps Research Institute in California, USA, where he carried out his postdoctoral training under the supervision of Professor Richard A. Lerner (President and CEO). In 1997 he moved to Purdue University, where he initiated his independent academic career, and established the Purdue Laboratory for Chemical Nanotechnology (1999). In 2003, He joined the National Research Council and the University of Alberta to build and lead the Supramolecular Nanoscale Assembly program, and contribute to the shaping of the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT), its research programs and facilities, and the recruitment of highly qualified personnel. NINT has since grown from 4 principal investigators in 2003 to a vibrant research and technology organization of over 350 researchers in 2013.
In addition, Dr. Fenniri held a full professor position with the Department of Chemistry (since 2003-2013) and adjunct full professor positions with the department of biomedical engineering (since 2010) with the faculty of medicine, and with the department if Chemistry (since 2013) at the University of Alberta. Dr. Fenniri is currently Professor Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Dr. Fenniri has achieved international recognition as a leader in the areas of self-assembly, supramolecular chemistry, nanomedicine, combinatorial chemistry, and materials sciences. His group works at the forefront of basic and applied nanosciences, in collaboration with various academic institutions, federal laboratories, and with the private sector. Dr. Fenniri’s contributions appeared in over 190 publications, 8 patents, and over 400 contributed national and international conference papers. Dr. Fenniri has also presented his work in over 150 invited distinguished lectures, colloquia and seminars around the globe. His research programs are supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, the US National Institutes of Health, the National Research Council of Canada, the University of Alberta, and several private, provincial and federal funding organizations.
Dr. Fenniri is the recipient of several academic and professional honours and awards, including the Xerox UAC Award (2006–2008), the 3M Faculty Award (2000, 2002), the Showalter Trust Fund Award (1999, 2001), the Trask Trust Fund Technology Innovation Award (2000), the Cottrell Teacher Scholar Award (2000–2005), and the US National Science Foundation Career Award (1999–2003). Dr. Fenniri is Member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals and serves on several national and international scientific boards, panels, and committees.
Dr. Fenniri has been an invited professor at the Université de Strasbourg and the Collège de France (2010), the National University of Taiwan (2007), and the University of Colorado Boulder, USA (2004). He has also been DAAD Visiting Professor at Regensburg University, Germany (2002, 2003).
