Researcher

Angela Belcher

Profile

Angela Belcher is an American materials scientist, biological engineer, and professor at MIT who is a world leader in using biology-inspired approaches to synthesize and assemble inorganic materials for energy, electronics, and medicine. Inspired by abalone shell formation, Belcher's laboratory evolved viruses (M13 bacteriophage) to recognize and assemble semiconductor nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, and other devices—demonstrating that biological systems can be programmed to fabricate complex electronic materials at room temperature. She extended this approach to develop phage-based imaging agents for cancer surgery, where her virus-based probes can distinguish cancerous from healthy tissue during surgery under near-infrared illumination, potentially reducing margin-positive resections. Her virus-templated electrodes for batteries achieved record performance in thin-film lithium-ion batteries. Belcher co-founded Cambrios Technologies (for transparent conductive films) and other ventures. Her work bridges synthetic biology, materials science, and oncology, and has been featured in collaboration with companies in the energy, electronics, and medical device sectors.

Industry Ties