Herdeline Ardoña, a UC Irvine assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been selected as one of the 2025 Talented 12 by Chemical & Engineering News, a publication of the American Chemical Society.

This annual list recognizes early career researchers who are rising stars in chemistry, selected for their innovative work and growing impact in the field.

Ardoña was recognized by the publication for “creating macromolecules that could help hearts heal.”

She leads a team of researchers who utilize and build upon fundamental chemistry, biophysics and engineering concepts to create materials that might one day solve the organ donor shortage or help scientists grow tissues that could be used to screen drugs or study diseases.

Her goal is to recreate the body’s support structures for growing cells by mimicking their surface chemistry, their mechanics and the way they organize cells.  For example, her lab designed molecules that assemble into a matrix on a specialized surface, forming a material on which cardiomyocytes can grow. Scientists could use this lab-grown cardiac tissue to study how heart disease progresses in the cells or how drugs might be able to protect them.

“It is both humbling and inspiring that Chemical & Engineering News is recognizing our group’s research contributions as impactful toward tackling global challenges,” said Ardoña.

This year’s Talented 12 were selected from a wide pool of nominees suggested by readers and C&EN reporters, who looked across the chemical sciences for standout early career researchers.