Emily Balskus

Emily Balskus is a Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University, affiliated with the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. She is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Her research focuses on bioorganic chemical biology and organic chemistry, with an emphasis on microbial metabolism. The Balskus group investigates microbial metabolic pathways, novel enzymes, and the biochemical functions of genes linked to biological activities, particularly those of the human microbiome. They also develop strategies to integrate synthetic organic chemistry with microbial metabolism. Prof. Balskus joined the CCB faculty in 2011 and is known for her work in uncovering new metabolic functions and their implications for human health and environmental processes.

Emily P. Balskus is a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology whose research focuses on the chemical biology of the human microbiome, enzyme discovery, natural products, and metabolism. Her work explores how gut microbiota transform xenobiotics, metabolize nutrients, and influence host physiology through enzyme-mediated reactions. She investigates the biosynthesis of microbial natural products, such as sunscreen compounds in cyanobacteria, and their impact on human health. Her studies also examine the role of gut bacteria in drug metabolism, including the inactivation of cardiac medications and the metabolic processing of choline. Balskus's research bridges chemical biology and microbiology to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial interactions with the host.