Chemists are the architects of matter. Chemists design, build, and probe matter spanning multiple length-scales, from molecules and atomic clusters, to macro-molecular assemblies and crystalline solids. A crucial result of these efforts is that chemists can draw explicit links between the structure and composition of matter and its attendant physical properties. 

These links establish fundamental insight into the static and dynamic responses of matter to electromagnetic stimuli and also define the nature of matter-matter interactions, which determine the reactivity of species. Aside from its role as one of the core sciences, chemistry is at the heart of technology that has transformed industry and society.

Research Facilities

The department is well equipped with the instrumentation, both shared and in individual faculty research laboratories, to perform modern chemical research.

Our Facilities page has additional information for your research needs.

Research Areas

• Chemical Biology
  Examples of Chemical Biology pursued at Johns Hopkins include mechanisms of nucleic damage and repair, antibiotic biosynthesis, drug development, signaling pathways, catalysis, and enzyme engineering.
• Inorganic Chemistry
  Inorganic Chemistry at JHU is at the forefront of a wide range of research, including the study of coordination chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, small molecule activation, enzyme mechanisms utilizing biological radicals, catalysis, and solid state and nanostructured functional materials.
• Materials Chemistry
  Our cross-disciplinary faculty are focused on the rational synthesis and characterization of new classes of organic, inorganic, and solid-state materials.
• Organic Chemistry
  Organic chemistry at JHU bridges both synthetic and physical organic chemistry. Current activities include research in synthetic methodology, materials, natural products, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology.
• Physical Chemistry
  Physical Chemistry research at JHU spans many areas including fundamental molecular and atomic interactions, chemical and photochemical dynamics, catalysis, surface and materials chemistry, nanomaterials, protein biophysics, and molecular and materials spectroscopy.
• Theoretical Chemistry
  Theoretical chemistry at JHU develops and applies novel methods in chemical theory and computation.