Regular biography
Marissa Lavagnino is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. Her research focuses on catalysis, specifically the development of novel catalytic reactions to lower energy barriers in chemical transformations. Her work integrates organic reaction development, organometallic synthesis, and physical organic investigation to discover catalysts and reactivities that address challenges in pharmaceutical discovery and chemical industry. The Lavagnino Lab leverages mechanistic insights to design innovative catalytic reactions, emphasizing methods development and the exploration of underutilized metal centers. Her research aims to expand catalytic design principles and overcome synthetic hurdles through a combination of experimental and computational techniques.