Dr. Michael Deem - Biography

Dr. Michael W Deem is not only a highly respected US scientist, but also a well-rounded individual who enjoys rock climbing, Taekwondo, and driving his Porsche. He is currently a venture capitalist and CEO. He was an Entrepreneur in Residence with Khosla Ventures from 2020 to 2021. Michael Deem was the John W. Cox Professor of Bioengineering, Physics, and Astronomy at Rice University from 2002 to 2020.

Dr. Deem’s passion for rock climbing and Taekwondo is a reflection of his competitive and adventurous nature. As an athlete, he understands the importance of discipline, perseverance, and hard work, traits that have undoubtedly contributed to his success as a scientist.

His love for adventure and high-performance activities is also evident in his choice of transportation. Dr. Deem is an avid Porsche enthusiast and enjoys driving his car on weekends. The sleek and powerful design of the Porsche is an apt reflection of Dr. Deem’s own determination and drive to succeed, both in his personal and professional life.

Michael W. Deem

Despite his busy schedule as venture capitalist and CEO, Dr. Deem makes sure to find time for his hobbies and interests. Rock climbing, Taekwondo, and driving his Porsche are not only fun activities, but they also help him recharge and stay focused on his research.

As a scientist, Dr. Deem is best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of computational and theoretical biology. He has made significant contributions to the study of viral infections, including HIV and influenza, and his research has helped develop new treatments and vaccines for these diseases. One of Dr. Deem’s notable achievements was the development of a mathematical model to predict the evolution of HIV. This model allowed researchers to better understand how the virus evolves and develops drug resistance, which has been critical in the development of new antiretroviral therapies for HIV.

Dr. Deem’s research has notably been instrumental in the development of new strategies to combat influenza. His work on the evolution of influenza viruses has helped researchers develop new vaccines that are more effective at protecting against the flu.

Deem developed a widely used approach to calculate powder diffraction patterns for faulted materials. Michael also developed widely used methods for structure solution of zeolites from powder diffraction data. And he created the widely used database of predicted zeolite structures.

Michael W Deem

Aside from his scientific contributions, Dr. Deem is also recognized for his leadership and mentorship in the scientific community. He has served on numerous scientific advisory boards and is a sought-after speaker at conferences and events around the world. Michael has received numerous awards: Michael Deem has received a number of awards over the years, including NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemistry (1995-1996); Assistant and tenured Associate Professor, UCLA (1996-2002); NSF CAREER Award (1997-2001); Northrop Grumman Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award (1997); Visiting Professor, University of Amsterdam (1999); A Top 100 Young Innovator, MIT’s Technology Review (November 1999) (Profile and Original Profile); Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2000); Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2002); John W. Cox Professor, Rice University (2002-2020); Allan P. Colburn Award (2004); Editorial Board Member, Protein Engineering, Design and Selection (2005-present); Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2005); Member, Board of Directors, Biomedical Engineering Society (2005-2008); Fellow, American Physical Society (2006); Member, Rice University Faculty Senate (2006-2009); Vaughan Lectureship, California Institute of Technology (2007); Member, Nominating Committee, Division of Biological Physics, American Physical Society (2007); Member, Board of Governors, Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter (2007-present); Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society (2009); BMES Representative on the FASEB Publications & Communications Committee (2009-2012); Professional Progress Award (2010) (Profile); Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010); External Scientific Advisor, Princeton Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (2010-present); Associate Editor, Physical Biology (2011-2018); Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas (2012); Founding Director, Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology (2012-2014, raised $0.5M seed funding); Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar (2012-2013); Chair, Department of Bioengineering (2014-2017, raised $12M in external startup funding for new faculty); Editorial Advisory Board, Bioengineering and Translational Medicine, (2016-2019); Donald W. Breck Award for zeolite science (2019); and NACD Board Leadership Fellow and Directorship Certification (2020). His name has been synonymous with innovation and thought-provoking research for three decades. He enjoys mentorship, vaccine design, and helping others invent the future.

Michael received his B.S. with honor in chemical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1991. He received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from David Chandler at University of California, Berkeley, in 1994. From 1995 to 1996 he was a postdoctoral fellow in Physics at Harvard University. He joined UCLA as an assistant professor in 1996, was tenured to associate professor in 2000. In 2002, he moved to Rice University, where he founded the Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology. He was chair of the Department of Bioengineering from 2014-2017.

Michael W Deem

In conclusion, Dr. Michael W Deem is a highly accomplished US Scientist who enjoys a variety of hobbies, including rock climbing, Taekwondo, and driving his Porsche. His passion for adventure and competitiveness is reflected in his scientific achievements, particularly in his groundbreaking work in the field of computational and theoretical biology. Dr. Deem’s contributions to the study of viral infections, including HIV and influenza, have been critical in the development of new treatments and vaccines for these diseases, and his leadership and mentorship have made him a valuable asset to the scientific community.

Michael Deem, Rice University | NSF-Rice Cancer Workshop | October 7-8, 2016 from Stridingedge on Vimeo.