Rate My Professor Kalle Levon

Kalle Levon is a Research Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, specializing in polymer chemistry. He earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Helsinki in 1976 and 1981, respectively, and his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 1986. Levon joined the Polytechnic Institute of New York University—now part of NYU Tandon—in 1989 as an assistant professor of polymer chemistry, was promoted to associate professor in 1993, and served as department head starting in 1995. In this role, he led the department's evolution into chemical and biological sciences and engineering, launching new degree programs in biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, and bioinformatics. From 1996 to 2003, he headed the Polymer Research Institute, and from 2003 to 2006, he was Associate Provost for Research and Intellectual Property, where he bolstered the institution's patent portfolio and established the Brooklyn Enterprise for Science and Technology (BEST).

An authority in organic electronics, particularly for medical diagnostics, Levon develops technologies using organic electronics as early-stage cancer markers for point-of-care applications. His research interests include phase separation in polymer blends and solutions, gelation processes, conductive polymers, and biosensors capable of detecting bacteria, viruses, proteins, and DNA. Among his influential publications are "Multiple percolation in conducting polymer blends" (Macromolecules, 1993), "Potentiometric sensors based on surface molecular imprinting: Detection of cancer biomarkers and viruses" (Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2010), and "A potentiometric protein sensor built with surface molecular imprinting method" (Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2008). He holds more than 15 patents, including several on floating gate field effect transistors for sensing. Levon has garnered awards such as the Wechsler Award for Excellence, the Search for Electroactive Materials Award, the Othmer Institute Award, and the FiDIPro Finnish Distinguished Professor Award. Over his career, he has obtained over $5 million in research funding, contributed to course development in biosensors and tissue engineering, and serves on the NIH’s Biomaterials and Biointerfaces Study Section and editorial boards for nanomedicine journals. He is a member of the Biophysical Society, New York Academy of Sciences, and American Chemical Society.