Ramon Gonzalez

Dr. Ramon Gonzalez is a Professor and Florida 21st Century World Class Scholar at the University of South Florida's Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. He leads the Metabolic Engineering and Biomanufacturing laboratory, focusing on engineering microbial systems for energy, chemical, and pharmaceutical production. His research includes bioconversion of C1 feedstocks, polyketide/isoprenoid synthesis, nitrogen fixation, and plastic waste upcycling.

Education: PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Chile, 2001), MSc in Biochemical Engineering (Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, 1999), BSc in Chemical Engineering (Central University of Las Villas, Cuba, 1993).

Research interests span metabolic engineering, biomanufacturing, and sustainable biotechnology. Key projects involve methane activation, glycerol fermentation, and synthetic pathways for novel chemicals. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology and has held roles at Rice University and ARPA-E.

Notable awards include AIMBE Fellowship (2018), NSF CAREER Award (2007), and SDA/NBB Glycerine Innovation Award (2010). His lab has produced 25 patents and spun off companies like Glycos Biotechnologies and Creo Ingredients.

Advising and grants: Overseen numerous graduate students and postdocs, with active collaborations in the U.S., China, Germany, and Chile. Lab members have transitioned to industry roles at companies like LanzaTech, Shell, and Moderna.

Labs/Teams: Leads USF's lab and collaborates globally. Previously directed Rice University's Advanced Biomanufacturing Initiative and Energy & Environment Initiative.