Michael grew up in a western suburb of Chicago called Aurora, IL, or better known as Wayne’s World. He got his BS in Psychology and Chemistry at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After which, he employed as a technician working on analytical method development at Abbott Laboratories. From 1998-2002 he was a PhD student at Penn State University working in Stephen Benkovic lab on the Bacteriophage T4 replisome assembly and dynamics. In 2003, he started a postdoctoral fellowship in Ron Laskey’s laboratory at the University of Cambridge/Hutchison MRC in the UK. In 2006, he started his independent career at the University of Pittsburgh Chemistry department. Starting 2014, he moved his laboratory to Baylor University, where he currently lives with his family. There, the Trakselis laboratory is currently studying aspects of DNA replication and repair spanning from the very in vitro biochemical to the very in vivo cell and human biology.
| Michael A. Trakselis Professor Director of Graduate Affairs Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Baylor University One Bear Place #97348 Waco, TX 76798-7348 Office: 254-710-2581 Email: michael_trakselis@baylor.edu |  | |
| Shipping: Dr. Michael Trakselis Dept. of Chem & Biochem. 101 Bagby Ave. Waco, TX 76706 |  NPR Baylor Connections Podcast |
Academic Training
B.S. Psychology, University of Illinois, 1996
B.S. Chemistry, University of Illinois, 1996
Ph.D. Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 2002
Postdoc, Cambridge University/Hutchison MRC, 2003-2006
Positions and Employment
Professor, Dept. Chemistry & Biochemistry, Baylor University (2020-)
Interim Department Co-Chair, Dept. Chem & Biochem, Baylor University (2019)
Director of Graduate Affairs, Dept. Chem & Biochem, Baylor University (2017-)
Associate Professor, Dept. Biology, Baylor University (2017-2019)
Faculty Member, Biomedical Sciences Program, Baylor University (2014-)
Associate Professor, Dept. Chemistry & Biochemistry, Baylor University (2014-2019)
Adjunct Associate Professor, U. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A. (2014-2016)
Faculty Member, Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, U. Pitt. (2011-2016)
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.(2006-2014)
Lecturer, Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, U.K. (2005)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Hutchison MRC, Cambridge, U.K. (2003-2006)
Postdoctoral Researcher, Penn State Univ., University Park, PA, U.S.A. (2002-2003)
Research Technician, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL, U.S.A. (1996-1998)
Honors and Awards
Elizabeth Vardaman Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduates, 2020
American Cancer Society Research Scholar, 2011
Samuel and Emma Winters Foundation Biomedical Research Award, 2011
The Protein Society Finn Wold Travel Award, 2009
Royal Society USA Research Fellowship, 2003-2006
Alumni Association Research Award PSU, 2002
Homer F. Braddock Graduate Fellowship , 2001-2002
Harry and Catherine Dalalian Research Award , 2001
Nellie and Oscar Roberts Fellowship , 1998
