Michelle O’Malley, Director of Biological Lignin Depolymerization at JBEI and a professor of chemical engineering and bioengineering at UC Santa Barbara, has been elected to the 2026 Class of American Academy of Microbiology fellows.
Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology, an honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.
“Academy Fellows are leaders in their field whose work influences the direction of scientific discovery and its role in society,” said Vanessa Sperandio, Chair of the Academy Governors. “Election to the Academy is a significant professional milestone, and I am delighted to welcome Dr. Michelle O’Malley as a member of the 2026 Cohort.”
O’Malley’s research at JBEI focuses on the discovery and characterization of novel lignin-degrading mechanisms from anaerobic fungi and microbial communities.