Dr. Brian Fox

Biography

Brian G. Fox is the Marvin J. Johnson Professor and Fermentation Biochemistry Chair in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research primarily focuses on biochemical, catalytic, and spectroscopic studies of redox active enzymes, as well as protein engineering. His work aims to use synthetic biology techniques to discover new enzymes that can break down recalcitrant polysaccharides, like cellulose from wood, for biofuel feedstock. He also probes the structure and reactivity of carbohydrate-active enzymes, analyzing the catalytic contributions of active site residues and the effects of protein-protein and protein-substrate interactions on enzymatic catalysis. Dr. Fox has been involved in the Center for Eukaryotic Structural Genomics as part of the NIH Protein Structure Initiative, generating a wealth of structural data on organisms with limited gene function information. His laboratory provides training opportunities in biotechnology and engages students at various academic levels, including high school and undergraduate researchers, in basic and applied research projects. Dr. Fox is also the director of the Biotechnology Training Program at UW-Madison, a pre-doctoral program funded by the NIH that offers graduate students the chance to participate in cross-disciplinary studies in the field.

Research Interests