Columbia Researchers Earn Prestigious Research Awards for Breakthrough Work in Science and Engineering
Three Columbia University researchers—Santiago Correa, Milan Delor, and Xavier Roy—have recently received prestigious awards recognizing their groundbreaking work in biomedical engineering, physical chemistry, and quantum materials.
Santiago Correa: Advancing Cancer Immunotherapy
Assistant Professor Santiago Correa of Columbia's Department of Biomedical Engineering was honored with the 2025 Beckman Young Investigator Award, receiving $600,000 over four years to support his pioneering research in cancer immunotherapy. Correa's lab engineers biomaterials that mimic natural cellular communication to reprogram the immune system to detect and eliminate tumors. His goal: develop accessible, off-the-shelf nanotherapies tailored to individual immune profiles.
Milan Delor: Realizing Lossless Energy and Information Flow in Materials and Molecules
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Milan Delor received the 2025 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, which includes a $100,000 unrestricted research grant. His research aims to achieve quasi-lossless energy and information flow by harnessing long-range coherence in molecules and materials through three key approaches: developing ultrasensitive optical imaging tools, engineering 2D materials that support coherent quasiparticle interactions, and leveraging strong light-matter coupling to control quantum and photochemical phenomena.
Xavier Roy: Engineering Frustrated Quantum Materials
Chemistry Professor Xavier Roy was awarded a $2 million Brown Investigator Award to explore the design of "frustrated materials"—exotic systems where atomic structures induce collective quantum behavior. His lab’s work could lead to discoveries in superconductivity and other emergent quantum phenomena by bridging chemistry and physics to synthesize entirely new materials.
These awards underscore the bold, innovative research being driven at Columbia University, with each scientist pushing the frontiers of their field to tackle pressing challenges in health, energy, and quantum science. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Beckman Foundation, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and Brown Science Foundation for their unwavering commitment to advancing the frontiers of scientific knowledge. Their visionary support is critical to empowering the next generation of scientific leaders.
