Michael Hecht
Biography
Chemist and synthetic biologist whose research explores whether life can be sustained using molecular parts designed in the laboratory rather than evolved in nature. His lab designs artificial proteins from synthetic genes that are expressed in living cells, enabling the construction of artificial genomes with sequences never before seen in biology.
Sample Works
- Protein Design by Binary Patterning of Polar and Nonpolar Amino Acids (1993) Paper
- A de novo protein catalyzes the synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots (2022) Paper
- De Novo Designed Proteins From a Library of Artificial Sequences Function in Escherichia Coli and Enable Cell Growth (2011) Paper
- Selection of a Promiscuous Minimalist cAMP Phosphodiesterase from a Library of De Novo Designed Proteins (2024) Paper
Roundtable Appearances
May 11, 2013 · ▶ Video
Synthetic and Systems Biology: Reinventing the Code of Life
The roundtable explores how synthetic and systems biology enable DNA reengineering at unprecedented pace. These interdisciplinary fields combine biology, engineering, computer...
Andrea Califano, Mark Fishman, M.D., Michael Hecht, Christopher Mason, Saeed Tavazoie, Michael Waldholz