Unraveling the Encryption of Your Chemistry’s DNA: Here’s Mine
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry held its third annual seminar series on October 26, 2026. The event welcomed back rising-star alumnus Dr. Leopold Green ’11, an accomplished researcher and assistant professor at Purdue University in Indiana.
Dr. Green delivered an inspiring and insightful keynote address on DNA-based nanotechnology and its potential applications in developing real-time diagnostic tools for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. He also emphasized the importance of cultivating curiosity and innovation and of building startup companies with lasting impact.
Dr. Green is an assistant professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Despite being an early-career scientist, he has already built an impressive record, publishing in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and securing multimillion-dollar grants. He is the lead principal investigator (PI) on an $8.8 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), leading a multidisciplinary team to develop an innovative technology that bridges traditional electronic computing and biological systems. His design integrates semiconductor components with biological systems and has the potential to benefit public health by making treatments more accessible and responsive to individual needs, while advancing discoveries in the broader medical field. Dr. Green also manages a $20 million research laboratory that engages undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers, in groundbreaking scientific research. He is the founder of TERRAZO, a biomedical startup company projected to reach a $100 billion market value by 2035.
The annual seminar series continues the department’s longstanding tradition of inviting alumni to return and share their postgraduate journeys with current students. The series is made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Isai T. Urasa ’70, professor emeritus and former department chair, who served Hampton University for nearly four decades before retiring in 2022.
With more than 60% of its graduates pursuing advanced degrees in STEM or professional programs at prestigious institutions such as Princeton, Harvard, Duke, and Johns Hopkins, Hampton’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry cultivates academic rigor as a force for success—championing excellence, advancing innovation, and elevating the visibility of HBCU-trained talent in the global STEM landscape. Rooted in Hampton’s mission, the department prepares scientists who are not only exceptionally skilled but also culturally competent, socially conscious, and globally minded. Its graduates are reshaping leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, breaking new ground in research, education, and industry worldwide.