Akos Vertes
{{Short description|Hungarian-American biochemist and molecular biologist}}
{{Infobox scientist
|name = Akos Vertes
|image =
|image_caption =
|nationality = Hungarian
|field = Biochemistry
|work_institutions = University of Antwerp
George Washington University
|alma_mater = Eötvös Loránd University
|awards = Hillebrand Award
}}
Akos Vertes is a Hungarian-American professor of chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology at the George Washington University and a Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Early life and career
Vertes was born in Budapest, Hungary. He graduated from the Veres Pálné Gimnázium in 1971 and then got his B.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from the Eötvös Loránd University in 1974 and 1979 respectively. In 1979 he was appointed research associate at the Hungarian Central Research Institute for Physics and in 1987 was promoted to senior research associate; from 1986 to 1989 he served as its Deputy Head. Until 1991 was an assistant professor at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.{{cite web|url=http://vertes.columbian.gwu.edu/akos.php|title=Professor Akos Vertes|publisher=Vertes Research Group|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
In 1991 he immigrated to the United States and was hired by the George Washington University as an associate professor of Analytical chemistry.{{cite news|url=https://columbian.gwu.edu/vertes-victories|author=John DiConsiglio|title=Vertes Victories|work=George Washington Today|date=January 28, 2014|accessdate=1 February 2019}} and was promoted to professor in 2000 and to Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2003.
In 1997 he became deputy chair of its Department of Chemistry. In 2002 he founded the W. M. Keck Institute for Proteomics Technology and Applications in Washington, D.C. and became co-director. From 2003 to 2008 he also worked as an adjunct professor at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
In 2014 Akos led GWU's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences team to investigate chemical and biological threats.{{cite news|work=George Washington Today|url=https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/university-receives-146-million-investigate-biological-and-chemical-threats|title=University Receives Up to $14.6 Million to Investigate Biological and Chemical Threats|date=January 28, 2014|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
Research and inventions
In 2008 Akos Vertes had worked with Peter Nemes to develop a laser ablation electrospray ionization, a miniature version of the previous lasers requiring only a desk-sized space in the lab.{{cite news|author=Maggie Fox|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-laser-detector/new-laser-spectrometer-provides-instant-analysis-idUSN0734345320080207|title=New laser spectrometer provides instant analysis|work=Reuters|date=February 7, 2008|accessdate=1 February 2019}} Four years later this technology, which in the future became known as the LAESI-DP 1000 Direct Ionization System, was ranked as one of the 100 most technologically significant products of 2012 by the R&D Magazine{{cite news|url=https://mediarelations.gwu.edu/george-washington-university-invention-ranked-top-100-most-technologically-significant-products-year|title=George Washington University Invention Ranked in Top 100 of Most Technologically Significant Products of the Year|publisher=George Washington University|date=June 20, 2012|accessdate=1 February 2019}} and was ranked top 10 invention by The Scientist.{{cite news|url=https://www.mpr.com/article/mpr-collaborator-protea-biosciences-wins-top-ten-innovations-of-2011-technology-award|title=MPR Collaborator Protea Biosciences Wins|date=March 2, 2012|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
In 2009 Vertes and colleagues developed a new technology called matrix-assisted laser analytical ionization or MALDI.{{cite news|url=http://www.ebiotrade.com/newsf/2009-11/20091120171830964.htm|script-title=zh:活细胞研究新技术|trans-title=New technology for living cell research|website=ebiotrade.com|date=November 23, 2009|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
In 2012 he worked with Genia Photonics to develop a laser that can detect explosives and illegal drugs.{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/will-new-airport-laser-scan-you-for-explosives-and-your-lunch|author=John Brandon|title=Will new airport laser scan you for explosives -- and your lunch?|agency=Fox News|date=July 12, 2012|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
In 2015 he had created a nano-device called REDIchip capable to detect materials that are made up of as little as 100,000 molecules.{{cite news|url=https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-chemist-detects-invisible-threats|author=Lauren Ingeno|title=GW Chemist Detects Invisible Threats|work=George Washington Today|date=June 22, 2015|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
Awards
- 2007 – Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize{{cite web|url=https://mediarelations.gwu.edu/three-professors-awarded-2007-oscar-and-shoshana-trachtenberg-prizes|title=Three Professors Awarded 2007 Oscar And Shoshana Trachtenberg Prizes|publisher=George Washington University|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
- 2012 – Hillebrand Award{{cite web|url=https://csw.sites.acs.org/hillebrand.htm|title=2012 Hillebrand Award to Professor Akos Vertes|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
- 2013 – Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors{{cite news|url=https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/two-gw-researchers-named-fellows-national-academy-inventors|title=Two GW Researchers Named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors|work=George Washington Today|date=December 11, 2013|accessdate=1 February 2019}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{GoogleScholar|Ub9Xcy8AAAAJ}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vertes, Akos}}
Category:American molecular biologists
Category:Hungarian biochemists
Category:Eötvös Loránd University alumni
Category:Columbian College of Arts and Sciences faculty
Category:George Washington University faculty
Category:Members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Category:Scientists from Budapest
Category:20th-century American biochemists
Category:21st-century American biochemists