Luis Liz Marzán
Basic Research 2015He is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in the application of colloidal chemistry to nanoplasmonics (the chemistry of nanomaterials in suspension). He has been one of the pioneers in the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, where his contributions have been highly significant in controlling the morphology of these particles and their surface chemistry. Liz-Marzán has not only developed methods for producing these compounds, but has also characterised them morphologically and optically, as well as designing applications, primarily related to ultrasensitive detection and the early diagnosis of diseases. With over 23,000 citations, he is the most cited Spanish researcher in the field of Materials Science and ranks among the top ten in Chemistry.
Apart from nanoplasmonics, Liz-Marzán has also conducted studies on semiconductor and magnetic nanocrystals, their colloidal synthesis and the formation of luminescent and magnetic nanostructures. These nanoparticles can be applied in various fields such as solar energy, data storage and bioimaging, amongst others.
The jury for the Rei Jaume I Prize for Basic Research has decided to award the 2015 prize to Dr LUIS MANUEL LIZ MARZÁN for his contribution to materials science, bridging the fields of chemistry and biology.
