MAKING MOLECULES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

The U.S. National Science Foundation has renewed its support for the Molecule Maker Lab Institute (MMLI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a new five-year, $15 million award. As a National AI Research Institute, MMLI is pioneering artificial intelligence tools that accelerate the discovery and synthesis of functional molecules for use in medicine, energy, and industry. Led by Professor Huimin Zhao, the institute has already produced impactful innovations like AlphaSynthesis and closed-loop molecule development systems, and it now aims to develop next-generation AI agents, including large language models for chemistry and generative tools for catalyst discovery.

Nearly 80 participants including our members, industrial partners, and other researchers from academia and industry joined us in-person and online for the MMLI Symposium 2025, held April 15–16 in the Auditorium of the NCSA at the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois. Centered on the theme “AI Scientists? What Would It Take?”, the event featured talks and panel discussions from academic, industry, and national lab researchers. Sessions explored foundational AI, small molecule discovery, and materials development, highlighting emerging opportunities at the frontier of AI-driven science. Recorded talks and event photos are now available.

This spring has been a season of recognition and advancement for the Document and Pattern Recognition Lab. Dr. Zanibbi delivered an invited talk at the Perimeter Institute’s Theory + AI Symposium alongside AI luminaries like Geoffrey Hinton, sharing work on ReactionMiner. He was also awarded RIT’s highest faculty research honor—the Trustees Scholarship Award—highlighting contributions to the MMLI. Meanwhile, DPRL PhD students are excelling, from high-impact internships to post-graduation positions at Meta and leading startups. Read on for the full story.