Associate Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine | Faculty Director of the Innovation Institute for Food and Health
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Dr. Justin Siegel is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis, with affiliations in the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and the Genome Center. He is also the Faculty Director of the Innovation Institute for Food and Health.
Dr. Siegel’s passion for science, particularly enzyme design, stems from his interest in combining computational and experimental tools to develop a fundamental knowledge of enzyme catalysis and applying those principles to design novel proteins. His scientific focus is on the design and discovery of enzymes relevant to issues in modern society – from treating Celiac disease to biofuel production and food system sustainability.
Dr. Siegel earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from UC Davis in 2005 and his Ph.D. in Biomolecular Structure and Design from the University of Washington in 2011. His educational background, combined with his extensive research experience, makes him uniquely qualified to conduct research projects in this field.
Dr. Siegel has published extensively in scientific journals. He has co-invented more than 100 global patents and is a co-founder of over a dozen companies and organizations. In 2023 he was elected to the National Academy of Inventors.
His work has led to the discovery and engineering of enzymes to treat celiac disease, fight anthrax infections, catalyze novel chemistry never before observed in nature, fixate carbon, amplify human nutrition, and produce high-value chemicals as well as nutrients. This track record of achievement underscores his credibility and demonstrates his ability to deliver real scientific progress.
October 2023