Miller Institute Postdoctoral Fellow
vayu.mr@gmail.com
Education
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Harvard University
B.A. in Biology and Chemistry summa cum laude, Carleton College
Research
Vayu’s first experiments were done in the kitchen of his multicultural home in Stockholm, Sweden. He initially moved to the U.S. to work in restaurants, but the flavors, textures, and sensations of the kitchen eventually led him to scientific research. In 2020, Vayu completed his PhD with Dr. Emily Balskus at Harvard University, where he studied how gut microbes break down food, drugs, and neurotransmitters in the human body. As a Miller fellow at Berkeley, Vayu is combining his background in microbiology, chemistry and gastronomy to understand and manipulate microbial metabolism in fermented foods, with the ultimate goal of creating foods for enhanced flavor, sustainability, and human health. Outside the lab, he loves to cook, explore nature, and runs the organization Young Chefs Program, which uses cooking to teach science to youth.
http://youngchefsprogram.org
vayumainirekdal.com