Pamela Silver

This information is accurate as of the fellowship year indicated for each fellow.

Pamela Silver, a professor of systems biology at Harvard Medical School and founding member of the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, works in the field of synthetic biology. Her interests focus on the predictable and facile engineering of biological systems with applications in both human health and global sustainability. Her recent work includes engineering cell-based computers, metabolic pathways for biofuel and commodity production, and increased carbon dioxide fixation.

During the course of the fellowship, Silver plans to take advantage of resources on the Harvard University campus to gain a deeper understanding of the practical and ethical issues around the engineering of biology. She will continue her work on the development of unusual biological systems for applications in sustainability. She will also interact with environmentalists and policy experts in order to further the quest for open-access engineering of biology.

Silver received her PhD from the University of California and carried out postdoctoral work at Harvard University. She has been the recipient of many awards and grants and serves on a number of private and public advisory boards. Most recently, she was recognized with a large award from the Department of Energy to develop electrofuels.