Michelle O'Malley

Michelle O’Malley is the Cliff R. Scholle Endowed Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (2004) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware (2009). Her research focuses on engineering anaerobic microbes and microbial consortia for sustainable chemical production, bioremediation, and natural product discovery. She has pioneered studies on anaerobic gut fungi, revealing their potential for biomass breakdown and enzyme production.

Her work has been featured in prominent media outlets like NPR, BBC, and the LA Times. She has received over 20 awards, including the PECASE (highest U.S. early-career science honor), Allan P. Colburn Award, and Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award. She directs the NSF-funded ExFAB Biofoundry, a hub for engineering 'extreme' microbes.

Research interests span microbial systems engineering, synthetic biology, and biotechnology applications. Notable achievements include discovering novel enzymes from anaerobic fungi, developing genetic tools for non-model microbes, and designing synthetic microbial consortia inspired by natural systems like the rumen microbiome.

Her lab has trained over 40 students/postdocs, many now leading academic and industry roles. Current projects include diatom silicification studies, plastic degradation engineering, and functional genomics of anaerobic fungi. The lab also collaborates with national labs (JGI, EMSL) and industry partners for applied biotechnology solutions.