About Us

What We Do

VINSE is a multidisciplinary institute that supports research, education, and K-12 outreach across science, engineering, and medicine. We bring together people, tools, and ideas to advance discovery at the nanoscale.

Our facilities include a state-of-the-art cleanroom for nanofabrication and microfluidics, along with an adjoining materials characterization laboratory. VINSE also houses an advanced imaging suite featuring electron microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Together, these capabilities support both materials and biological research.

VINSE researchers use nanoscience and nanotechnology to drive innovation across a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, cellular communication, meta-optics, sensors, nanoelectronics, and fuel cell membranes.

Industry & External Users

VINSE serves a diverse user community that includes Vanderbilt researchers, external academic partners, and industry collaborators. VINSE staff provide training for new users, assist with process development, and perform specialized fabrication and characterization processes in support of research and development efforts.

industry and external users — Current and former external partners.

Education and Outreach

Education is central to the VINSE mission. We work closely with the Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program for graduate students and support the undergraduate minor in Nanotechnology and Nanoscience. Students can deepen their engagement through multi-year participation in the VINSE Tech Crew program or by enrolling in courses with hands-on laboratory components in VINSE facilities.

VINSE outreach activities extend beyond campus and include classroom visits, on-campus high school field trips, sponsorship of NSF REU students, and laboratory modules for the Vanderbilt Summer Academy.

History

The Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering was founded in 2001 as an interdisciplinary research center, supported by an investment from the Vanderbilt endowment through the Academic Venture Capital Fund. Early funding focused on three core priorities: start-up packages for new faculty hires, construction of shared nanoscience facilities including a cleanroom, and acquisition of shared-use research equipment.

Originally located in the basement of the Stevenson Center, VINSE facilities opened in 2003. Since then, VINSE has grown significantly. What began with 27 affiliated faculty members has expanded to more than 50 faculty today, with over 13,000 square feet of core facilities supporting research, education, and outreach in the Engineering and Science Building.

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Contact Us

Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Visit Us:

1212 25th Avenue South
P: 615-322-1289
vinse@vanderbilt.edu

Mailing Address:

PMB 350106
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37235-0106