The Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois

Sabeeha Merchant is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to her position as Professor, she serves as the Chair of the Molecular Biology Inter-departmental Ph.D. Program and Associate Director of the Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA. Professor Merchant received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1983 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. After completion of her post-doctoral studies at Harvard University, Professor Merchant began her academic career at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1987, where she serves as Professor today.

Professor Merchant's research focuses on the biochemistry and molecular genetics of metal metabolism, including both inorganic redox-active cofactors and tetrapyrrole cofactors. Her research interests span from deciphering the mechanisms of signal transduction during copper homeostasis, the metabolism of iron and manganese, and the biosynthesis of membrane-associated cytochromes.

Professor Merchant's success in academia is highlighted by her numerous awards and recognitions. These include a Searle Scholars Award, an NIH Research Career Development Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, selection as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005, and the Gilbert Smith Medal from the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. She serves as Editor of Eukaryotic Cell and the Annual Review of Plant Biology, in addition to service on numerous advisory committees and panels.