Franco Basile

Franco Basile is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wyoming, specializing in Analytical Chemistry and Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry. His research focuses on developing rapid, non-enzymatic sample preparation techniques for proteomics and metabolomics of biological and environmental samples, including microorganisms, bees, plants, and coal deposits.

• Education: B.S. in Chemistry (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 1985), Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry (Purdue University, 1992)

Research Interests include:

• Analytical Mass Spectrometry: Pioneering thermal/microwave digestion for on-tissue proteomics and imaging-MS
• Metabolomics and Lipidomics: Analyzing root exudates, invasive grasses, and insect cold tolerance
• Microbial Ecology: Investigating sterol synthesis in bacteria and soil metaproteomics

Article Trends span from 2025 to 2012, emphasizing MALDI- and ESI-MS applications in proteomics, metabolomics, and environmental analysis. Recent work includes non-intrusive laser techniques for protein denaturation monitoring and sterol gene studies in planctomycetes.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award
• R&D 100 Award
• ACS Outstanding Professor Award
• Lindbergh Foundation Research Award

Funding sources include NSF, NIH, USDA, and DTRA for projects on insect cryobiology, microbial methane production, and field-portable biodetection systems. The Biodetection and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory houses advanced instrumentation like Q-Exactive HF-X Orbitrap and MALDI-ToF/ToF-MS, supporting interdisciplinary collaborations across ecology, geology, and biomedical sciences.