Chris Hittinger

Chris Hittinger is a Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he leads a research group focused on evolutionary genomics and synthetic biology of yeast carbon metabolism. He is affiliated with the School of Medicine and Public Health and conducts research at the Wisconsin Energy Institute. His lab is supported by the National Science Foundation and the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

Research Interests:

• Evolutionary and functional genomics of yeasts
• Yeast biodiversity and ecology
• Synthetic biology and genome engineering
• Carbon metabolism and bioenergy applications
• Horizontal gene transfer and evolutionary innovation
• Domestication and hybridization in brewing yeasts

Dr. Hittinger's research integrates genomics, biochemistry, and systems biology to understand how metabolic networks evolve and can be engineered for biotechnological applications. His work spans from fundamental evolutionary questions to applied biofuel development.

Recent Research Trends: His recent publications highlight a strong focus on phylogenomics, metabolic evolution, and the ecological and genomic basis of yeast diversity. He employs machine learning and comparative genomics to uncover principles of gene family evolution, codon usage, and niche adaptation across the Saccharomycotina subphylum. A recurring theme is the discovery of novel metabolic pathways and evolutionary mechanisms, such as horizontal gene transfer and convergent evolution.

Scientific Engagement:

• Active mentorship through the Wild YEAST program for high school and undergraduate students
• Leadership in yeast taxonomy and genomics consortia
• Development of bioinformatics tools (e.g., CRISPy-pop, sppIDer)
• Extensive collaborative network across microbiology, genomics, and biotechnology

Advising and Funding: Dr. Hittinger advises numerous graduate students and postdocs, many of whom have gone on to PhD programs and biotech careers. His research is funded by major grants from the NSF and DOE, supporting projects on yeast biodiversity, bioenergy, and genome evolution. He leads large-scale collaborative efforts such as the Y1000+ Project, aiming to sequence all known budding yeast species.

Laboratory and Outreach: The Hittinger Lab maintains the yH Strain Collection, distributing over 2,100 yeast strains globally. The lab also runs the Wild YEAST program, engaging students in field sampling and discovery of novel yeasts from natural environments.