Eric W. Schmidt

Eric W. Schmidt is a Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Utah, with adjunct appointments in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. His research focuses on natural products chemistry, biosynthesis, synthetic biology, and pharmaceutical applications of marine animal microbiomes.

• University of California, San Diego (BS, PhD)

Research areas include:

• Biosynthesis in animals and their microbiomes
• Synthetic biology approaches to chemical engineering
• Drug design from marine natural products
• Metagenomic analysis of symbiotic relationships
• Neuroactive compound discovery
• Antibiotic development against resistant pathogens

His lab has pioneered methods for:

• Biosynthetic gene cluster identification
• Heterologous expression in E. coli
• Enzymatic modification of peptides
• Chemical analysis of marine invertebrates

Recent publications highlight discoveries in:

• Marine animal chemical defense mechanisms
• Evolution of biosynthetic pathways
• Antibiotic resistance profiling
• Ionic channel-targeting compounds
• Peptide macrocyclization techniques
• Lipid-polyketide biosynthesis continuum

Email: ews1@utah.edu

Honors include:

• Distinguished Professor recognition