New Faculty Spotlight: Welcome Jorge Marchand

What is your Research Focus?

The Marchand Lab researches ways to utilize fundamental approaches in synthetic biology, chemical biology, biosynthesis, and biomolecular engineering for reprogramming life at the nucleic acid level. The goal is to extend the nucleotide building blocks available in living systems for biosynthesis, and to use newly expanded metabolism for producing nucleic acids with emergent, programmable function. Towards these goals, our group focuses on three fundamental areas in the xenonucleic acid field: enzymatic synthesis, next-generation sequencing, and synthetic biology. In applying our technology, we look to leverage expanded genetic codes for biomanufacturing and develop more sensitive nucleic acids for diagnostics and biosensing.

What opportunities at the UW excite you?

As an institution, the UW is a leader in multidisciplinary and cross-departmental areas of synthetic biology. What excites me are the opportunities that await for my group to collaborate with others on campus. My group will actively engage with others in UW centers and institutes such as the Center for Synthetic Biology, Institute for Protein Design, and the Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute to build better biomolecules.