• Nanoscience & Materials Chemistry: nanoparticle toxicity and surface-enhanced Raman sensors
• Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry: spectroscopy neurochemistry
• Chemical Biology: single cell electrochemistry
• Inorganic & Organometallic Chemistry
• Environmental & Green Chemistry: surfaced enhanced Raman
• Chemical Physics: laser spectroscopy and microelectrochemistry, nanoparticles

Research Summary

Our group studies pressing fundamental and applied problems in nanoscience, environmental science, and microbiology using a diverse set of analytical and materials techniques. We fabricate nanoparticles to study and exploit size-dependent phenomena, with applications ranging from agriculture to in vivo and environmental sensors. Additionally, we combine our knowledge of nanoparticles and biological cells to investigate the potential biological and ecological impacts of nanoparticles added to consumer products. Finally, we apply single cell measurements techniques to probe chemical messenger synthesis and exocytosis in individual cells, including mast cells, chromaffin cells, and blood platelets.

Research Page

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Christy completed her undergraduate work at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN (1998) with a major in chemistry and minors in mathematics and Spanish. Christy's doctoral work was done at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (2003) under the direction of Richard P. Van Duyne. Her doctoral thesis title is "Fundamentals and Applications of Nanoparticle Optics and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering." 

Before arriving at the University of Minnesota, Christy performed postdoctoral research in the laboratory of R. Mark Wightman at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2005). Her efforts in the Wightman lab focused on applying microelectrode amperometry to probe single cell exocytosis. 

As a faculty member at UMN since 2005, her research group works at the interface of analytical, biological, environmental, and nanomaterials chemistry. Christy is currently the Department Head, Associate Director of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, and an associate editor for the journal Analytical Chemistry.

Education

• B.S. Macalester College, 1998
• M.S. Northwestern University, 1999
• Ph.D. Northwestern University, 2003 (Richard P. Van Duyne)
• Post Doctorate University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2005 (R. Mark Wightman)

Recent News

• Professor Christy Haynes named new head of the Department of Chemistry
• Professor Christy Haynes delivers TEDxMinneapolis talk: “How nanoparticles can help solve the global food crisis”

Honors and Awards

• 2023 Analytical Scientist’s Power List (overall 2013-2023) 
• 2021 “Big 10” Academic Leadership Program 
• 2020 University of Minnesota Women’s Leadership Institute
• 2019 Distinguished McKnight University Professor
• 2018 Theophilus Redwood Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2018 Craver Award from the Coblentz Society
• 2018 Guggenheim Fellowship
• 2017 Institute on the Environment Fellow
• 2017 Finalist for Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientist
• 2016 The Analytical Scientist’s 2016 Power List of top 50 talented women scientists
• 2015 Advising and Mentoring Award from the University of Minnesota Graduate and Professional Student Assembly 
• 2015 Sara Evans Faculty Woman Scholar/Leader Award
• 2014 Taylor Award for Distinguished Research from the University of Minnesota
• 2013 Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture 
• 2012 Pittsburgh Conference Achievement Award 
• 2011 Joseph Black Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry 
• 2010 Arthur F. Findeis Award for Achievements by a Young Analytical Scientist from the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry
• 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Fellow 
• 2009 Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar 
• 2009 Society for Electroanalytical Chemisty Young Investigator 
• 2008 National Institutes of Health New Innovator
• 2007-2009 University of Minnesota McKnight Land-Grant Assistant Professor
• 2007 Delegate for Japan-U.S. Young Researchers Exchange on Nanotechnology
• 2006 National Science Foundation CAREER Award
• 2006 Kinship Foundation Searle Scholar
• 2006 3M Nontenured Faculty Award
• 2005 Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry from the American Chemical Society
• 2005 Victor K. LaMer Award from the American Chemical Society Division of Colloid and Surface Science
• 2004 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health
• 2003 Award for Excellence in Graduate Research from Northwestern University
• 2002 Presidential Fellowship from Northwestern University

Selected Publications

1. NanoAdventure: Development of a Text-Based Adventure Game in English, Spanish, and Chinese for Communicating about Nanotechnology and the Nanoscale, Hudson-Smith, N.; Alvarez Reyes, W.; Yao, X.; He, J.; Rodriguez, R.; Mitchell, S.; Matar Abed, M.; Spanolios, E.; Krause, M.; Haynes, C.L. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(6) 2269-2280 (2023). 
2. Investigation of Charged Small Molecule-Aptamer Interactions with Surface Plasmon Resonance, Froehlich, C.; He, J.; Haynes, C.L. Analytical Chemistry, 95(5) 2639-2644 (2023). 
3. Machine Learning-assisted Carbon Dot Synthesis: Prediction of Emission Color and Wavelength, Senanayake, R.; Yao, X.; Froehlich, C.; Cahill, M.; Sheldon, T.; McIntire, M.; Haynes, C.L.; Hernandez, R.; Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 62(23) 5918-5928 (2022). 
4. Silica nanoparticle dissolution rate controls the suppression of Fusarium wilt of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), Kang, H.; Elmer, W.; Shen, Y.; Zuverza-Mena, N.; Ma, C.; Botella, P.; White, J.; Haynes, C.L.; Environmental Science & Technology, 55(20) 13513-13522 (2021). 
5. Nanoscale Battery Cathode Materials Induce DNA Damage in Bacteria, Qiu, T.A.; Guidolin, V.; Hoang, K.L.N.; Pho, T.; Carra’, A.; Villalta, P.W.; He, J.; Yao, X.; Hamers, R.J.; Balbo, S.; Feng, Z.V.; Haynes, C.L.; Chemical Science, 11 11244-11258 (2020).