Jessica Swanson

Jessica Swanson is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah. Her research integrates computational biophysics and multiscale simulations to study biomolecular systems, with a focus on electrochemical transport, protein-membrane interactions, and lipid droplet biology.

Education:

• B.S. in Biochemistry, University of California, Davis
• Ph.D. in Physical/Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego

Research Interests:

Swanson’s lab uses multiscale simulations to probe the mechanisms behind biomolecular processes such as:

• Electrochemical charge transport in channels and transporters
• Protein targeting to lipid droplets and membrane dynamics
• Lasso peptide folding and bacterial methane oxidation

The overarching goal is to enable climate, medical, and societal solutions by advancing fundamental molecular insights.

Scientific Contributions:

Her recent work spans from computational design of foldable lasso peptides to mechanistic studies of lipid droplet protein targeting. She has published extensively on proton transport, ion channel gating, and membrane permeability, often integrating machine learning with chemical intuition to enhance simulation accuracy and predictive power.

Contact & Lab:

• Email: j.swanson@utah.edu
• Lab Page
• Google Scholar