Markita Landry

Markita Landry is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She has a diverse educational background, holding a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in Physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a postdoctoral fellowship in Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) .13

Her research focuses on the development of synthetic nanoparticle-polymer conjugates aimed at two primary applications:

1. Neuroimaging: Landry's lab works on creating optical probes for neuromodulators such as dopamine and serotonin, which are crucial for understanding neuropsychiatric diseases. These probes are used to study conditions like addiction and neurodegenerative disorders .23

2. Plant Genetic Engineering: The lab also develops nanoparticle-based platforms for delivering genetic materials into plants, addressing challenges in creating transgenic plants. This work aims to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience by enabling the targeted delivery of biomolecules .34

Landry has received numerous accolades, including over 30 early career awards, such as the NSF CAREER Award, the Beckman Young Investigator Award, and recognition as a Sloan Research Fellow. She is also a member of the scientific advisory board for Terramera and consults with Syngenta .13