Dr. Seth Herzon

Biography

Seth Herzon completed his undergraduate studies at Temple University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 2002. He obtained his PhD in 2006 from Harvard University under the guidance of Professor Andrew G. Myers, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign with Professor John F. Hartwig. Joining Yale in 2008, he currently holds the title of Milton Harris ’29 Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry, with joint appointments in the Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Radiology. Herzon's research emphasizes organic synthesis, particularly focusing on the molecular mechanisms and structure–function studies of anticancer microbiome-derived secondary metabolites. He co-founded the oncology company Modifi Biosciences in 2021, which was acquired by Merck Company in Fall 2024. Herzon served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Organic Chemistry from 2018 to 2023 and is a member of the Yale Cancer Center. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the NSF CAREER Award, the Searle Scholar Award, and various other recognitions from the American Chemical Society and National Science Foundation. His laboratory focuses on the total synthesis of complex secondary metabolites, and he aims to develop new synthetic methods to address challenges in the field.

Research Interests