Nadja B. Cech

Dr. Nadja B. Cech is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG), where she has been a faculty member since 2001. She holds the Patricia A. Sullivan Professor of Chemistry chair and leads the Cech Research Group, which focuses on mass spectrometry and natural products research to discover treatments for infectious diseases from plants and fungi.

Education:

• BS in Chemistry from Southern Oregon University at age 19
• PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of New Mexico (2001)

Her research explores synergistic interactions in complex botanical medicines, bacterial communication in the skin microbiome, and drug-resistance solutions via fungal metabolites. She collaborates with institutions like Simon Fraser University, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Bergen under the NIH-funded HiFAN center. Key projects include developing metabolomics tools to study natural product synergy and analyzing endophyte influence on medicinal plants.

Scientific Awards:

• Jack L. Beal Award (2011)
• UNCG College Teaching Award (2008)
• UNCG Junior Research Excellence Award (2011)

Dr. Cech supervises a diverse team of postdocs, graduate, and undergraduate students, including current members like Joëlle Houriet (University of Geneva PhD) and Preston Manwill (postdoc from Ohio State University). Her lab emphasizes inclusivity and transdisciplinary collaboration.