Steven James Burgess is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the School of Integrative Biology. His research focuses on sustainable ecosystems using synthetic biology tools to simplify, miniaturize, and automate the engineering of photosynthetic organisms. He aims to develop a mechanistic understanding of how photosynthesis adapts to environmental stress fluctuations and how protein structure influences the activity of genes involved in photosynthesis. His interdisciplinary approach involves collaborating with researchers across campus to leverage advances in synthetic biology, machine learning, protein engineering, gene editing, and genomics. Current projects include developing the smallest known photosynthetic eukaryote, Ostreococcus tauri, as a model for studying phototrophs, and creating platforms for the directed evolution of photosynthesis enzymes. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh and a Ph.D. from Imperial College London, with postdoctoral experience at the University of Cambridge.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Urbana, IL
Teaching and conducting research in the field of synthetic biology and photosynthesis.