Congratulations to Professor Ellen Sletten on her promotion to full professor, effective July 1, 2023.
Sletten’s groundbreaking research and innovative approaches have positioned her as a leading scientist in chemical biology, with a particular focus on bioorthogonal chemistry and molecular imaging.
Sletten earned her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Stonehill College in 2006. She then pursued her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of Nobel Laureate Professor Carolyn Bertozzi, a prominent figure in bioorthogonal chemistry. Her doctoral research centered on the development of new chemical tools for studying biological processes, setting the stage for her future contributions to the field.
Following her Ph.D., Sletten undertook postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with Professor Timothy Swager. During this time, she expanded her expertise in organic synthesis and materials chemistry, further enriching her scientific portfolio. Her postdoctoral work included the development of innovative materials for biomedical applications, which would later influence her research at UCLA.
Since joining the faculty at UCLA in 2015, Sletten has established a vibrant and productive research group. Her laboratory focuses on the development of chemical tools to study and manipulate biological systems in real-time, with applications in imaging, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Sletten was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2021.
Sletten’s research has led to several significant advancements. Notably, her work on near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) fluorophores has revolutionized molecular imaging. These fluorophores allow scientists to visualize biological processes in living organisms with unprecedented clarity and precision. By extending the wavelength of fluorescence to the SWIR region, Sletten and her coworkers have been able to perform real-time, multicolor, non-invasive imaging at high resolution in mice.
Another key aspect of Sletten’s research is the development of new materials for drug delivery and therapeutic applications. Her group focuses on the bioorthogonality imparted by fluorine and has developed responsive perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion delivery vehicles and molecular recognition scaffolds based on arene-perfluoroarene interactions. Sletten and her coworker’s work in this area has led to a novel class of responsive materials which respond to the high concentration of biomolecules within a cell, rather than a more traditional chemical or enzymatic response. These approaches have the potential to enhance the efficacy and reduce the side effects of treatments, particularly in cancer therapy.
Sletten’s contributions to the field have been widely recognized. She has received numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, the Sloan Research Fellowship, and the International Chemical Biology Society’s Young Chemical Biologist Award. In 2021, Sletten received the department’s 2020-2021 McCoy Award, which recognizes the researcher in the department who has made the greatest contribution of the year to the science of chemistry and biochemistry.
In addition to her research achievements, Sletten is also a dedicated educator and mentor. In 2023, she received both the Hanson-Dow Teaching Award as well as the UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award for Senate Faculty. She has made major contributions toward enhancing chemical biology at UCLA including initiating the chemical biology track for graduate students, restructuring the Chemistry of Biology course to be a cutting edge overview of chemical biology, and starting a chemical biology seminar series each spring.
Sletten is committed to training the next generation of scientists, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment in her laboratory. Her mentorship has inspired many students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue successful careers in academia, industry, and beyond.
Her group also engages with the community through a “PHOTONbooth”, which is a fun twist on a photo booth that they bring to local schools and to UCLA’s yearly Exploring Your Universe event, to provide an avenue for children to experience fluorescence firsthand. The booth is coupled with demonstrations of household fluorescent materials and the creation of highlighter glowsticks.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.
