Brian Pfleger

Brian Pfleger is a Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, College of Engineering. His research integrates engineering principles with biology to develop sustainable biotechnological solutions for chemical production.

Education:

• PhD, University of California, Berkeley (2005)
• BS, Cornell University (2000)

His research focuses on Synthetic Biology, Metabolic Engineering, Biotechnology, Protein Engineering, and Sustainability. He aims to engineer microorganisms for the sustainable production of chemicals from renewable resources like sunlight and carbon dioxide, contributing to a closed carbon cycle. His group works on component discovery, tool development, metabolic pathway engineering, and systems-level optimization of biological systems.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend in leveraging engineered microbes—particularly cyanobacteria and Pseudomonas—for sustainable chemical production, nutrient recovery, and metabolic phenotyping. The work spans analytical techniques, economic modeling, and genetic tool development, demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach to synthetic biology and green chemistry.

Scientific Awards:

• 2023: Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship
• 2022: Karen and William Monfre Professorship
• 2021: Alexander von Humboldt Bessel Research Award
• 2018: ACS BIOT Young Investigator Award
• 2017: Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Professorship
• 2015: Walter J. and Cecile Hunt-Hougen Faculty Scholar
• 2015: Vilas Associate and Early Career Award
• 2014: Daniel I.C. Wang Award; SIMB Young Investigator Award
• 2013: DOE Early Career Award; NSF CAREER Award; Teaching Excellence Award
• 2011: AFOSR Young Investigator Program Award
• 2010: 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award
• 2006: NIH Postdoctoral Training Fellowship

Brian Pfleger advises numerous graduate students, as evidenced by his frequent listing as advisor on thesis research (CBE 890, CBE 990) and special problems courses. His lab receives substantial research funding from federal agencies including the NSF, DOE, and AFOSR, as well as industry support from 3M. He leads a dynamic research group advancing the frontiers of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.

His lab functions as an interdisciplinary team focused on building biological systems from the ground up, contributing to both fundamental science and industrial applications in biotechnology and sustainable manufacturing.