Anne A. Madden, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Microbiologist) in the lab of Rob Dunn at North Carolina State University and partner at the brewing yeast company Lachancea LLC. She is a former microbiologist at the pharmaceutical company Novobiotic Pharmaceuticals. Beyond her research, Dr. Madden is a science and technology engagement specialist, having presented alongside Elon Musk and the pope at the international TED conference in 2017, as well as presenting at TEDx Charlotte, the World Beer Festival, Story Collider, multiple museums, international industry and scientific conferences on three continents, and in classrooms across the USA. Dr. Madden received her Ph.D. in biology from Tufts University, and her undergraduate
degree from Wellesley College. She has held numerous prestigious fellowships, including an Alfred P. Sloan Microbiology of the Built Environment Postdoctoral Fellowship, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a Tufts Institute of the Environment Fellowship, and an American Philosophical Society Lewis and Clark Fellowship. Dr. Madden’s research focuses on understanding microbial communities—in the diverse habitats of food, insects, and built environments—and deciphering the human applications of these ‘wild’ microorganisms. She is currently working to map the world’s food microbiome to build better future foods. Her work has led to the discovery of a new fungal species, novel antibiotics, patent pending brewing technology, new DNA based methods for detecting arthropod communities, commercially available products for the food and beverage industry, and a greater understanding of the microbial life around us. Her research has been mentioned by various media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, PBS News Hour, Newsweek, and Scientific American.
