Allie Obermeyer

Her research centers on engineering protein-based materials. Application areas of her research include cellular and metabolic engineering, protein formulation and delivery, and sustainable performance materials.

Proteins have evolved to possess an astonishing array of biological properties – from nitrogen fixing enzymes in bacterial symbionts to resilient, elastomeric proteins in jumping insects. Obermeyer’s research looks to harness the outstanding capabilities found in native proteins to create functional materials with applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. In order to achieve this, Obermeyer designs protein interactions and ultimately their assembly and phase behavior. Her work is highly interdisciplinary and lies at the intersection of bioengineering and soft materials, spanning the areas of synthetic biology, protein engineering, and polymer science.

Obermeyer received a BS in chemistry from Rice University in 2008 and a PhD in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2013. She then completed postdoctoral training in the Chemical Engineering department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a co-founder of Werewool, a venture-backed materials company that develops fibers with tailored aesthetic and performance properties to create sustainable textiles.

Research Areas

• Biological and Life Science Engineering
• Bioprocess Engineering
• Gene and Drug Delivery
• Nanotechnology
• Regenerative Materials
• Separation Processes
• Sustainability
• Synthetic Biology