Joshua Kritzer

Joshua Kritzer is a Professor of Chemistry at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences. He is also a member of the Graduate Biomedical Sciences programs in Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology. His research focuses on developing bioactive molecules to target protein surfaces using peptides and peptidomimetics, addressing challenges in cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. Kritzer's work combines organic synthesis, biophysical chemistry, and molecular biology to design molecules that modulate cellular processes like autophagy.

Education:

• BE in Chemical Engineering, Cooper Union (2000)
• PhD in Biophysical Chemistry, Yale University (2005)
• Postdoctoral Training: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (2005–2009)

Research Interests: Bioorganic Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Peptide Design, Autophagy Modulation, and Cell Penetration Mechanisms.

Awards:

• Finalist, Professor of the Year (Tufts University, 2018, 2019)
• Teaching with Technology Award (2017)
• Faculty Excellence Award (2015, 2016)

Grants & Funding: Multiple NIH grants for projects on autophagy modulators, cyclic peptide design, and cell penetration profiling. Recent grants include awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.

Teaching: Teaches undergraduate Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, and a graduate Chemical Biology course emphasizing primary literature and systemic bias in academia. Redesigned Organic Chemistry curriculum for pre-health students in 2013.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Kritzer Lab at Tufts, focusing on discovering molecules to solve biomedical problems. Collaborates with researchers in genetics, molecular biology, and computational design. Current team includes postdocs, graduate students (e.g., Imani McDonald, Benjamin Goldberg), and undergraduates (e.g., Nick Cardi).