Strathclyde profile: Dr. K. H. Aaron Lau
Google Scholar: King Hang Aaron Lau
Scopus ID: 55729134700
ORCID: 0000-0003-3676-9228
linkedin: uk.linkedin.com/pub/aaron-lau/13/83a/15/

Biosketch
Aaron is Associate Professor in Materials Chemistry and Bionanotechnology, and Co-Director of the Leverhulme Doctoral School in Nature Inspired Acoustics, at the University of Strathclyde.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach based on molecular engineering and biophysical chemistry, Aaron leads his group in the rational design, synthesis, and development of bioinspired macromolecules for antimicrobial, biomaterial, and environmental applications.

The group’s research starts from the fundamental, seeking to deepen our biophysical chemistry understanding of macromolecules at surfaces and interfaces, including self-assembly and membrane interactions. This basic knowledge is then applied to the development of novel bio-, nano-, and sustainable bioinspired materials.

The main molecular platforms are “peptoids”, a highly convenient and designable peptide-mimetic synthetic platform, and tannic acid, a versatile and multifunctional molecular “integrator”. Current projects include peptoid self-assembly, antimicrobial peptoids, acoustically functional structures, and polyphenol water remediation sorbents.

Aaron obtained his ScB and ScM at Brown, PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, and postdoctoral training at Northwestern. He then started his lab at Strathclyde as a founding member of its Bionanotechnology initiative.

His awards include the US NIH National Research Service Award, Scottish Crucible, and the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Young Investigator award. He currently chairs a Saltire European Network for Nature Inspired Materials, funded through the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and he is treasurer of the Royal Society of Chemistry Chemical Nanoscience group. He is a member of the editorial board of Scientific Reports (published by Sprinter-Nature), and he is Reviews Editor of Biophysics Reviews (published by the American Institute of Physics).

Citizenship in Inclusion and Diversity
Beyond scientific research, Aaron is passionate about inclusion and diversity. He is especially interested in understanding and improving the progression of both students and staff coming from under-represented groups. He was recently a member of Strathclyde's Race Equality Working Group that produced the University’s first report on the issue, with the recommendations now being carried out by the University's newly established Race Equality Steering Group. Earlier, he was co-author of his department’s first successful proposal for an AthenaSWAN gender equality award, and he is currently the Departmental Disability Coordinator. Aaron is also active in a "Chemistry of the Cupcake" public outreach activity, and he has led his research group to present this activity at various Scottish science festivals, museums, and schools.

Appointments
Since 2019 Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer)
2013 Assistant Professor (Lecturer)
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, UK

2011 NIH National Research Service Award NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow
2008 Postdoctoral Fellow
Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

2004 Senior Research Officer
2002 Research Officer
Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Singapore

2001 Research Attaché
Danish Technological Institute, Copenhagen (Valby), Denmark