Byron Purse

Professor, San Diego State University, 2022-
Associate Professor, San Diego State University, 2018-2022
Assistant Professor, San Diego State University, 2013-2018
Assistant Professor, University of Denver, 2008-2013
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Bäckvall Group, Stockholm University, Sweden, 2006-2008
PhD in Organic Chemistry, Rebek Group, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 2000-2005
BSc High Honours in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Canada, 1996-2000

Curriculum Vitae

Byron was born on a cold winter’s day in Regina, SK, Canada. After growing up in the Canadian prairies and completing the high school International Baccalaureate program at Campbell Collegiate, he studied Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Regina. Byron found his passion for research in organic chemistry during a summer undergraduate internship with Prof. David Bundle at the University of Alberta on carbohydrate chemistry, leading to his first publication.

Byron then moved to San Diego for Ph.D. studies on molecular recognition and accelerated reactivity in molecular confinement in the lab of Prof. Julius Rebek at the Scripps Research Institute. Following the completion of his Ph.D. in 2005, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow on aerobic oxidation catalysts at Stockholm University, Sweden, in the lab of Prof. Jan-Erling Bäckvall.

In 2008, Byron started his independent career by establishing a lab at the University of Denver, where his research focused on fluorescent nucleoside analogues and methods to assemble highly stable molecular capsules.

After moving labs in 2013 to San Diego State University, where he is currently Associate Professor of Chemistry, Byron has assembled a great team of student researchers pursuing multiple avenues of basic and applied research on the chemical biology and fluorescence of nucleoside analogues and the application of mechanical forces in supramolecular chemistry.

When he’s not doing science, Byron enjoys rock climbing, hiking, playing guitar, and obsessively following the news and politics.