Lydia Pazienza, Ph.D.

I originally hail from east of Albany, NY, but have had the opportunity to live and learn around the country. I studied Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Chicago for my undergraduate degree and dabbled in research surrounding the biophysics of protein folding and RNA folding in CRISPR complexes. I went to graduate school at Harvard University in Chemistry and Chemical Biology. I was lucky enough to get to study the origin of life with a diverse group of scientists and travel to places like Iceland, Norway and Yellowstone to consider the beginning of life. I spent the first two years of my independent academic career at Bates College in Maine, where I began research on early life metabolism as it can be mediated by RNA. I came to Gonzaga so I can dedicate my career to undergraduate education and research, and to support the development of students as whole people.