Gregg B. Fields

Gregg B. Fields serves as Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida Atlantic University, where he maintains an active research program following his Ph.D. from Florida State University (1988). His career includes prestigious appointments such as the Robert A. Welch Foundation Distinguished University Chair and the Distinguished Chair of Metalloproteinase and Multiple Sclerosis Research.

Fields' research program centers on extracellular matrix biochemistry, synthetic protein design, and metalloproteinase mechanisms, with direct applications in cancer biology, arthritis, and neurodegenerative disease therapeutics. His laboratory specializes in developing triple-helical peptide inhibitors targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), employing innovative chemical biology approaches to dissect enzyme-substrate interactions and disease pathways.

Analysis of his 2017-2023 publications reveals consistent focus on MMP inhibitor design, with increasing emphasis on disease-specific applications including tumor spheroid models, autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and arthritis mechanisms. His work bridges fundamental biochemistry with translational therapeutic development, particularly in solid-phase peptide synthesis and protease-targeted drug discovery.

Dr. Fields has received exceptional recognition including election to the National Academy of Inventors and AAAS, with notable honors:

• McKnight-Land Grant Professorship, University of Minnesota (1993-1995)
• National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award (1994-1999)
• Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities Excellence Award (1997)
• Multiple FAU Researcher of the Year Awards (2000-2001, 2005-2006)
• Robert A. Welch Foundation Distinguished University Chair (2008-2010)
• Elected Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2014)
• Elected Fellow, AAAS (2015)
• President’s Leadership Award, FAU (2017-2018)
• Research Park Distinguished Researcher Award (2018)

His sustained research leadership is evidenced by continuous grant funding including NIH awards and institutional chairs, though specific grant details aren't enumerated in source materials. Fields actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers within his FAU laboratory, contributing to the training of next-generation biochemical scientists.

The Fields laboratory maintains strong collaborative networks across institutions including Imperial College London and the University of Florence, focusing on extracellular matrix proteolysis mechanisms and therapeutic intervention strategies through advanced peptide engineering and disease modeling approaches.