Hal Alper

Hal Alper is a Professor and holds the Cockrell Family Regents Chair in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin's Department of Chemical Engineering. His research lab focuses on rewiring cellular metabolism for biomanufacturing applications, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and sustainable materials, using synthetic biology, directed evolution, and pathway engineering.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (2006-2008)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Shire Human Genetic Therapies (2007-2008)
• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2006)
• B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park (2002)

Research Focus: The Alper Lab specializes in metabolic and cellular engineering to address global challenges in sustainability and health. Core methodologies include synthetic biology tool development, high-throughput screening platforms (e.g., biosensor-in-microdroplet systems), and evolutionary engineering of yeast strains like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica. Key application areas are biofuels, biochemicals, polymer precursors, and pharmaceuticals.

Publication Trends: Recent work emphasizes machine learning-assisted enzyme engineering, microbial consortia design, and advanced screening techniques for metabolic phenotypes. A consistent theme across publications is the optimization of yeast hosts for efficient bioproduction through promoter engineering, transporter modification, and evolutionary strategies.

Awards & Honors:

• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2024)
• Andreas Acrivos Award (AIChE, 2023)
• Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2019)
• O'Donnell Award in Engineering (2019)
• AIChE Colburn Award (2018)
• Society for Industrial Microbiology Young Investigator (2015)
• Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar (2014)
• Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2012)
• ONR Young Investigator (2011)

Lab Leadership: Directs the Laboratory for Cellular and Metabolic Engineering, fostering interdisciplinary work in synthetic biology and bioprocess development. The lab prioritizes inclusivity and collaborative research, with projects spanning genetic toolkit development, metabolic flux analysis, and scalable biomanufacturing platforms.