June 30, 2003 — Two leading nanotech researchers have left Purdue University to lead new research groups at the Canadian National Research Council’s National Institute for Nanotechnology and teach chemistry at the University of Alberta, according to a news release.

Hicham Fenniri will lead the Supramolecular Nanoscale Assembly Group. His work will focus on small molecules designed to assemble into nanoscale structures for drug discovery, molecular electronics and other applications. Jillian Buriak will lead the Materials and Interfacial Chemistry Group, where she will work on modifying semiconductor surfaces for a new generation of optoelectronic and molecular devices.