Paul W. Pare

Paul W. Pare is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Tech University. His research spans plant-microbe interactions, plant metabolomics, and marine natural-product chemistry, with a focus on understanding signaling mechanisms and characterizing bioactive compounds.

Dr. Pare earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991 and completed postdoctoral studies at the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University. His academic journey has led to significant contributions in biochemistry and natural product research.

His research interests center on Plant Beneficial-Microbe Interactions, where he studies how soil bacteria induce growth promotion and stress tolerance in plants through complex signaling exchanges. In Plant Metabolomics, he characterizes pharmacologically active metabolites including phenylpropanoid glycosides, iridoids, and flavonoids from plant tissue based on ethnobotanical history. His work in Marine Natural-Product Chemistry explores secondary metabolites from Red Sea organisms, recognized as an epicenter for marine biodiversity. Dr. Pare employs multidisciplinary techniques spanning analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology.

Analysis of Dr. Pare's recent publications (2020-2024) reveals three dominant research trajectories: natural products with anti-tumor activity (particularly from Withania and Synadenium species), plant-microbe signaling mechanisms involving bacterial volatiles, and computational drug discovery approaches targeting pathogens including SARS-CoV-2. His work demonstrates exceptional interdisciplinary integration across biochemistry, pharmacology, plant science, and marine biology.

• Current Laboratory Members: Mohamed-Elamir Khalaf, Mi-Seong Kim, Fernanda Medeiros, Flavio Medeiros, Saidi Reddy Vtukuri, Xitao Xie, Huiming Zhang
• Former Students: 13 postdocs, 6 graduate students, and 3 undergraduates who have established careers in academia and industry
• Major Collaborations: Lanzhou University (China), National Research Centre (Egypt)

Dr. Pare maintains active teaching responsibilities including Principles of Biochemistry (Chem 5334) and Molecular Biochemistry (Chem 3310), emphasizing how biochemical understanding drives advances in medicine, agriculture, and nutrition. His Space Science Program examines plant carbon allocation under elevated CO₂ conditions, connecting terrestrial research to space exploration contexts.