University of Otago academic Dr Carla Meledandri has won the 2017 Prime Minister's MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize, recognising her innovative nanotechnology research. Photo: SuppliedAmerican-born Dr Meledandri, a senior lecturer in the chemistry department, was presented with her $200,000 prize by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Parliament in Wellington yesterday. Early applications of Dr Meledandri's science include using silver nanoparticles to treat and prevent dental disease, and finding ways to store and use clean energy. Dr Meledandri was ''very humbled'' by the ''amazing'' national award, which provided ''great recognition'', for her and fellow researchers. It was ''very rewarding'' to undertake work which could help improve dental health, through a planned range of ''breakthrough products'' to fight tooth decay and infection, using silver nanoparticle research undertaken at her laboratory.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 13, 2018 16:07 UTC