Gregory A. Weiss

Biography

Gregory Weiss grew up in California, USA, and went to college at UC Berkeley (BS in 1992). At Berkeley, he became enthralled with the power of organic chemistry to explain the biological universe. As an undergraduate, he worked in the laboratory of Prof. Paul Bartlett, developing the TRIAD database of tricyclic structural mimics.  At Harvard (PhD in 1997), his research in the laboratory of Prof. Stuart L. Schreiber focused on non-peptide ligands to MHC receptors receptors, a collaboration with structural biologist Prof. Don Wiley. Awarded a Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the NIH, he returned the funding to pursue post-doctoral studies with Dr. Jim Wells, then at Genentech.  In 2000, he joined the faculty at UCI where his laboratory focuses on the interface between chemistry and biology, including bioelectronics and the study and application of enzymes.  Tenured in 2006, he is a full Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Chemistry.  His awards include Outstanding Professor in the School of Physical Sciences at UCI (elected by the graduating students), Beckman Foundation Young Investigator, and election to Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  Selected by the US National Academy of Sciences to represent young scientists at two World Economic Forum “Summer Davos” meetings in Dalian, China, he was twice elected to be Co-Chair of the Global Young Academy, which includes 200 top young scientists from 55+ countries.  The textbook Dr. Weiss co-authored with Dr. David Van Vranken, Introduction to Bioorganic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, was short-listed for the best undergraduate textbook award by the Society of Biology in 2013.  He was awarded an Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for leading the team that “partially unboiled a hard-boiled egg.”  The Co-Founder of three biotech companies, Greg was named UCI’s Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year in 2018 and a Faculty Innovation Fellow in 2020. He received the School of Biological Sciences’ Faculty Mentor award in 2022.  He’s the UCI School of Physical Sciences’ first Director of Innovation. Greg and his wife, Kim, live in Irvine, California with their small collection of cats.