Frances Arnold

Frances Arnold at Caltech in 2021 x1

Frances Arnold

Frances Arnold (born July 25, 1956) is an American chemical engineer and biochemist. She is the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Arnold is known for her pioneering work in the field of directed evolution, a method used to engineer enzymes.

Early Life and Education

Frances Hamilton Arnold was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She attended Princeton University, where she earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1979. She later pursued graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, obtaining a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1985.

Career

After completing her Ph.D., Arnold joined the faculty at Caltech in 1986. Her research has focused on the development of methods for the directed evolution of enzymes, which has applications in industrial biotechnology, medicine, and sustainable energy.

Directed Evolution

Directed evolution is a method used to mimic the process of natural selection to evolve proteins or nucleic acids toward a user-defined goal. Arnold's work in this area has led to the development of enzymes that can perform new chemical reactions, which are used in the production of pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and other chemicals.

Awards and Honors

Frances Arnold has received numerous awards for her contributions to science, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018. She was the first American woman to receive this honor. Other notable awards include the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Millennium Technology Prize.

Personal Life

Arnold is an advocate for women in science and engineering. She has served on various advisory boards and committees aimed at increasing diversity in these fields.

See Also

• Chemical Engineering
• Biochemistry
• California Institute of Technology
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Directed Evolution