Bibel named assistant professor

Brianna Bibel began her position as assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Loyola Marymount University in August 2025. Before joining the faculty at LMU, she taught biochemistry and chemistry and mentored undergraduate researchers as a visiting professor at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Brianna Bibel

Her lab investigates how microbes adapt and rewire their metabolism to clean up environmental pollutants in soil and water. Specifically, she investigates links between structure and function in the core metabolic enzyme malate dehydrogenase, or MDH, which is found in Bacillus safensis and B. subtilis bacteria. In the future, she hopes to use her lab’s in vitro findings to make in vivo changes and study effects. These findings could lead to the use of B. safensis and B. subtilis for environmental cleanup and sustainable biotechnology.

Bibel previously served on the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Science Outreach and Communication Committee, where she helped plan and implement ASBMB’s outreach activities, including a special symposium. In 2024, she helped create the ASBMB education special interest group for biochemistry and molecular biology educators, and she continues to moderate this online forum.

Bibel has also been deeply involved in STEM outreach and science communication. She is a Cohort Fellow of the Malate Dehydrogenase Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, or CUREs, community, where she leads students in their research on MDH. She also maintains a biochemistry blog, The Bumbling Biochemist, where she explains core biochemistry concepts and laboratory techniques, using accessible language and infographics.