The Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter (FSCNOM) in Nankai University builds on the university's strong foundation in the field of new organic matter creation. Anchored in chemistry and integrating multidisciplinary innovations across materials science, optoelectronics, polymers, biology and energy, FSCNOM embodies a collaborative approach to addressing frontier challenges in science. Initially planned in 2018 and the physically established in 2020, FSCNOM was officially approved by China’s Ministry of Education in February 2023 for national-level project development. Academician Qilin Zhou serve as the Chief Scientist of the center, and Professor Shoufei Zhu is the Chair of the Executive Committee. The FSCNOM is committed to the development of organic science with a focus on precision, integration, intelligence, and refinement. The Center’s research spans three forward-looking and innovative directions:

1. Development of new methods for constructing organic matter

2. Design and synthesis of advanced organic materials

3. Creation of bioactive molecules with functional properties

Through deep disciplinary integration and innovation-driven collaboration, FSCNOM connects the full innovation chain—from the design and synthesis of new organic matter to structure–activity relationships, and ultimately to functional applications. The center aims to advance China's original innovation capabilities in organic substance and establish itself as a world-class hub for pioneering discoveries. In the future FSCNOM will continue to bring together forces from across academia and industry to scale new heights in scientific research.

Global Vision and Talent

FSCNOM unites cross-disciplinary and international expertise. It hosts a high-level innovation team led by three academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with over 70 high-level talents. Among them are 25 recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and 27 Four - Youth Talents Program. The Center has also introduced world-renowned scientists through flexible approaches, including Professor Pierre Agostini (The Ohio State University), the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics, and the inventor of the RABBITT technology; Professor Eiichi Nakamura (University of Tokyo), a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the pioneer of “Movie Chemistry of Organic Molecules”.

Scientific and Educational Excellence

FSCNOM has achieved internationally recognized breakthroughs in both fundamental and applied research, particularly in: 

▪  Catalytic strategy and molecular synthesis

▪  Battery and solar energy materials

▪  Innovative chemical drug development

▪  Quantum dot applications

Its innovations include highly efficient chiral spiro catalysts, which lead international research on chiral catalysts and won the First Prize of the State Natural Science Award and the Future Science Prize. Its work on A-D-A type high-performance organic photovoltaic materials has continuously set new global records for photoelectric conversion efficiency, winning the Second Prize of the State Natural Science Award. The center also has been awarded 2 First Prizes of the Excellence in Science and Technology Award of the Ministry of Education, 4 Special Prizes and 6 First Prizes of the Tianjin Science and Technology Award. At the same time, it drives the cultivation of top-notch innovative talents guided by scientific and technological innovation and has won 2 Second Prizes of the National Teaching Achievement Award. A total of 10 high-quality papers have been published in the top international academic journals Science and Nature.

Building a Benchmark Conference Platform

To foster academic exchange and global engagement, FSCNOM launched the New Organic Matter Frontier Lecture, inviting leading scientists worldwide to share research and explore scientific frontiers. It also established the New Organic Matter Frontier Forum, focusing on key research areas related to the development of organic science to conduct thematic discussions. The forum provides a platform for sparking intellectual inspiration and pooling tremendous strength, so as to shape the joint force for breakthroughs and a transformative future in the field of material science. Up to now, more than ten sessions of the New Organic Matter Frontier Lecture have been held. At the same time, a series of the New Organic Matter Frontier Forum have been organized, focusing on fields such as natural product, functional polymers, synthetic chemistry, and functional materials.