Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown

Dr. Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown is a Professor and Director of the Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes at Arizona State University's School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. She holds affiliations with the School of Life Sciences, College of Health Solutions, and serves as a Senior Global Futures Scientist. Her research integrates molecular microbial ecology to address bioremediation, bioenergy production, and the gut microbiome's role in obesity, metabolism, and autism.

She earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Georgia Tech (2005), an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Georgia Tech (2000), and a B.S. in Industrial Biochemical Engineering from UAM-I Mexico City (1996).

Her research focuses on microbe-environment interactions in three key areas: optimizing bioremediation systems for contaminants like chlorinated solvents; developing microbial bioenergy platforms; and investigating links between gut microbiota and human health conditions such as autism, obesity, and metabolic disorders. She pioneered gut microbiome research in autism spectrum disorders.

Her recent publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, including clinical trials on diet-microbiome interactions, multi-omic analyses of microbial communities, and innovative environmental remediation strategies. Research frequently incorporates metagenomics, metabolomics, and biofilm reactor technologies.

Scientific Awards:

• Fulbright Scholarship
• NSF CAREER Award
• Fulton Engineering Exemplar Faculty
• Arizona Researcher of the Year (AZBio, 2020)
• Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science, 2020 and 2021)

She has secured extensive funding from NIH, DoE, DoD, and NSF for projects spanning microbial ecology, bioenergy, and medical applications. As director of the Biodesign Center, she oversees interdisciplinary teams developing microbiome-based therapies and environmental solutions. Current work explores microbial contributions to energy balance and precision synbiotics for neurodevelopmental disorders.