Affiliation: Battelle Memorial Institute

Dr. Kate Kucharzyk is a research leader at Battelle’s National Security CBRNE business line, where she has applied over a decade of expertise in biochemistry, environmental microbiology, and omics. Her work integrates chemistry, biology, and materials science to develop microbially based solutions for national security and environmental challenges. Since joining Battelle in 2014, she has led numerous multidisciplinary programs for agencies, including the DOD, DOE, DARPA, and EPA. In 2018, she helped establish Bioenabled Solutions (BIOS), a cross-disciplinary research capability supporting synthetic biology, and now serves as its technical leader, guiding strategy across multiple focus areas. 

Dr. Kucharzyk holds an M.S. in Biochemistry from Maria Curie University, a PhD in Environmental Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Idaho, and completed postdoctoral training in geomicrobiology at Duke University. She has authored over 30 papers, holds four patents, and is an active member of ACS, ASM, ITRC, and the Battelle Technical Council.