Dr. Mike Henson believes in the promise of microbial-based technologies for addressing some of our most important societal challenges in the domains of sustainable energy, renewable chemicals and human health. He has long focused on developing biosystems modeling and engineering tools, working both as academic researcher and as an industrial consultant. For the past two decades, Mike has pioneered the development of in silico modeling tools for microbial systems and fermentation processes. He is passionate about integrating metabolic modeling within current industrial practice to open new paths for innovation in natural and engineered microbial systems.
Expertise
The motivation for creating In Silico Fermentation in September 2022 was to make state-of-the-art microbial modeling and engineering tools accessible to industrial practitioners. Mike has extensive experience consulting with industry on computational modeling projects, partnering on federally-funded research and development grants, and delivering educational training to audiences with diverse educational backgrounds. He leverages this vast experience to develop customized project solutions for biotechnology and biomedical companies.
Experience
Mike is a classically trained chemical engineer who has championed the application of traditional systems engineering principles to complex microbial processes. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Colorado, M.S. degree from the University of Texas, and Ph.D. degree from the University of California Santa Barbara. Prior to launching In Silico Fermentation, Mike was a chemical engineering professor at Louisiana State University (1994-2002) and the University of Massachusetts (2002-2022) as well as a part-time consultant. His research produced over 135 journal publications, 70 invited presentation, and over $1.8MM in industrially funded research. You can learn more about his research publications on his Google Scholar page.
Personal
Mike was raised in the Denver metro area and also has lived in Texas, California, Delaware, Louisiana, Stuttgart Germany, and Massachusetts. He is an avid cyclist, a novice electric guitarist, an aficionado of sports, music, Belgian ales, and in love with his dogs Caramel and Babbs. He is a strong supporter of diversity in engineering, other STEM fields and society at large. Mike has one son Corey who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and is hoping to get really rich, really fast.
