Dr. Stephen Mayfield

Biography

Stephen Mayfield is a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Research at the University of California, San Diego. He has extensive experience in molecular genetics, specifically concerning green algae and their application in biotechnology. His laboratory focuses on producing therapeutic proteins and biofuels through advanced algal production platforms. Over the years, he has developed expression vectors that allow for the robust accumulation of complex mammalian proteins, including monoclonal antibodies and various industrial enzymes. Notably, Mayfield's research has made significant strides in generating antibody-toxin fusion proteins targeting human B-cell lymphomas. By linking antibody domains to cell-killing toxins, his team has demonstrated the utility and specificity of these proteins for potential cancer treatments. Mayfield's commitment to developing algae as a sustainable source for biofuels and recombinant proteins underlines his pioneering role in this field. He has earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and in Plant Biology from California Polytechnic State University and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. Mayfield has also served as a NIH post-doctoral fellow at the University of Geneva and has held prominent positions at the Scripps Research Institute before joining UCSD in 2009.

Research Interests

Experience