David C. Garcia, PhD

I am a Senior Research Scientist at DEVCOM CBC and the California Institute of Technology under the mentorship of Matthew Lux and Richard Murray, respectively, where I am applying machine learning methods for high-throughput discovery of biological catalysts. The goal of my work is to develop new strategies that expand our traditional models of biomanufacturing sensors, materials, and molecules by taking a data-driven and multiplexed approach to elucidate the fundamental principles of scalable cell-free biomanufacturing.

I utilize the tools of cell-free synthetic biology to perform high-throughput characterization of cell-free biological systems with the goal of both understanding their fundamental function and improving their ability to generate novel mechanisms for biological sensing and biological production. The modular nature of cell-free synthetic biology enables us to not just engineer but design systems made to function in specific complex environments whether it be a clinical setting, an industial plant, or a resource-limited setting. Please see the Research page for more details on the projects helping us achieve this vision.

I received my PhD in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennesee, Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the supervision of Mitchel J Doktycz.