Donald A. Tomalia (born September 5, 1938) is an American chemist who is known as one of the early discoverers of dendrimers.
[2] The first dendrimer synthesis was noted by winning the Leonardo da Vinci Prize (Paris, 1996).
In 1990, he joined the Michigan Molecular Institute (MMI) as Professor and Director of Nanoscale Chemistry &Architecture (1990–1999).
Tomalia was the scientific director of the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
In 2001, Tomalia started Dendritic NanoTechnologies at Central Michigan University; Starpharma of Australia provided seed money for the venture and Dow took an equity position a few years later.