Jed W. Pitera

Dr. Pitera is a research staff member in Science and Technology at the IBM Almaden Research Center. His research focuses on the use of computer simulation to address questions in biology and chemistry, particularly in the areas of protein folding, molecular recognition, self-assembly, and computer-aided materials design. His current research projects include simulations of polymeric materials for lithography, desalination, and drug delivery applications.

Dr. Pitera received undergraduate training in Biology and Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, where he worked in Prof. Pamela Bjorkman’s protein crystallography group. Subsequently, he pursued graduate studies in Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco in the laboratory of Prof. Peter Kollman. In Dr. Kollman’s group, he developed an interest in the use of biomolecular simulation and free energy calculations in the rational design of proteins and pharmaceuticals.