George Grüner

George Grüner is a Hungarian-American physicist and Distinguished Research Professor of Physics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research spans fundamental condensed matter physics, nanotechnology, bioelectronics, and materials science. He has authored more than 700 publications with over 46,000 citations and an h-index of 94 , and holds more than two dozen issued patents.

Education and career Grüner showed early aptitude in mathematics, winning several national prizes while in high school and representing Hungary as a member of its Mathematics Olympic Team.

He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in physics at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest (1961–1966), and was awarded the Candidate of Sciences degree in Budapest in 1972.

Research and contributions During his career, the focus of his research was on the collective behavior of electrons in matter, these underly the electrical properties of materials. His scientific activities include exploratory research, technology development, invention and innovation activity, intellectual property creation, startup companies, and as an advisor, the innovation ecosystem.

Superconductors Grüner's group explored the microwave and millimeter-wave properties of superconductors, contributing both to the fundamental understanding of superconductivity , and the application potential of superconductors.

Nanotechnology and carbon nanonets Grüner developed a novel class of materials called Nanonets — two-dimensional, interconnected random networks of nanowires: single-walled carbon nanotubes which serve as a foundational platform for flexible electronics. His group characterized the electronic and optical properties of these structures.

Bioelectronics Grüner's laboratory developed electronic structures integrating resistors, field-effect transistors, and electrochemical capacitors with biological environments such as blood serum and buffer solutions. His group pioneered the use of carbon nanotubes for real-time electronic detection of biological interactions. He also integrated living cells with active electronic platforms, laying groundwork for devices capable of monitoring and driving cellular functions, testing drug responses, and linking nerve cells for complex signaling systems.

Innovation and commercialization

Flexible and printed electronics Grüner applied carbon nanonet thin films as flexible electrode scaffolds, enabling early-generation flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), solution-processed organic solar cells, and energy storage devices.

Entrepreneurship

Nanomix Inc. (2001–2005): Served as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Scientist, inventing and developing a nanoscale electronic biosensor detection platform based on his UCLA research. Unidym Inc. (founded 2004): Founded the company and served as CEO, focusing on the industrial-scale fabrication of carbon nanotube-based products, including nanonet thin films and components for printed electronics, energy storage, and solar cell devices.

Advisory and editorial roles Grüner has served as a consultant and advisor to universities, startup companies, multinational corporations, and government and funding agencies in the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Editorial Board Member, Journal of Nanotechnology Guggenheim Fellowship (1998): Awarded by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation for exceptional contributions to the natural sciences. and at the Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh (2009).

Memberships

Fellow, American Physical Society (elected 1987): Recognized for experimental studies of the Kondo problem and the dynamics of charge density wave and spin density wave ground states. Foreign Member, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (elected 1990). Dressel, M.; Grüner, G. (2002). Electrodynamics of Solids: Optical Properties of Electrons in Matter. Cambridge University Press. . Grüner, G. (1998). Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Spectroscopy of Solids. Topics in Applied Physics. Springer. .

L.P. Gorkov and G. Gruner: Charge Density Waves in Solids. Modern Problems in Condensed Matter Science. North Holland 25 (1989)

Journal articles

Grüner, G. (2007). "Carbon Nanonets Spark New Electronics". Scientific American. 296 (5): 76–83. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0507-76. PMID 17500417. Grüner, G.; Zawadowski, A. (1974). "Magnetic Impurities in Non-magnetic Metals". Reports on Progress in Physics. 37: 1497–1583. Grüner, G.; Zettl, A.; Clark, W.G.; Bardeen, J. (1981). "Field and Frequency Dependence of Charge Density Wave Conduction in NbSe3". Physical Review B. 24: 724. Brown, S.; Grüner, G. (1994). "Charge and Spin Density Waves". Scientific American. 270: 50. Grüner, G. (1974). "Experimental Evidence for Many-body Effects in Dilute Alloys." Advances in Physics, 23, 941. Organic solar cells with carbon nanotube network electrodes MW Rowell, MA Topinka, MD McGehee, HJ Prall, G Dennler, NS Sariciftci, Applied Physics Letters 88 (23) Grüner, G. (2006). "Carbon Nanotube Transistors for Biosensing Applications". Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 384: 322.''

Personal life Grüner is married to Maria Grüner. After accepting his position at UCLA, the couple left Hungary and lost Hungarian citizenship; following Hungary's political transition of 1990, he became a dual Hungarian-American citizen. They have a daughter, Dora, and a son, Daniel.

Grüner is an art collector. The Grüner Collection has been exhibited in several museums and is considered a significant holding of Hungarian neo-avant-garde art.