The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) announced that Chris Petzold has been appointed as Chief Information Officer (CIO), following Nathan Hillson’s departure. As CIO, Petzold will be responsible for leading JBEI initiatives involving automation, data management for artificial intelligence/machine learning efforts, and data analytics. His role will also focus on driving innovation and adoption of emerging technologies related to data collection, management and analysis.
Hillson has taken on a new role at Twist Biosciences. He served as JBEI’s Director of Synthetic Biology Informatics since 2009, and as the CIO since July 2025.
Petzold is the Deputy Vice President of Technology and Director of Functional Genomics at JBEI. His research focuses on developing mass spectrometric solutions to problems facing biofuel and bioproduct manufacturing. Recent work in the Functional Genomics group has focused on applying quantitative proteomics to metabolic engineering efforts. This work furthers the rational design and optimization of novel metabolic pathways for a wide variety of applications.
Petzold obtained his PhD in Chemistry from Purdue University with an emphasis in gas-phase ion chemistry and mass spectrometric methods development. He performed his post-doctoral work at UC Berkeley, focusing on the application of mass spectrometry to glycomics and lipidomics research. He joined Jay Keasling’s research group in 2005 as part of the team tasked to understand the impact of metabolic engineering on the host microbe via systems biology.
In addition to his roles at JBEI, Petzold will also serve as the Interim Biodesign Department Head in the Biological Systems and Engineering (BSE) Division, leading the development of basic science discovery and technologies to enable the biomanufacturing of fuels, chemicals, and materials.