Amy C. Rowat

Amy C. Rowat

Amy Rowat is an Associate Professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.  She is also a member of the UCLA Center for Biological Physics, Bioengineering Department, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Broad Stem Cell Research Center, and Business of Science Center. Rowat holds degrees from Mount Allison University (B.Sc. Honours Physics, 1998; B.A. Asian Studies, French, & Math, 1999), the Technical University of Denmark (M.Sc. Chemistry, 2000), and the University of Southern Denmark (Ph.D. Physics, 2005). She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics/ Division of Engineering & Applied Science, Harvard University as well as Brigham Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, such as the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER development award, and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and 5 patents. In addition to her commitment to research, Rowat has also pioneered the use of examples from food and cooking as vehicles for teaching sophisticated physics concepts to a general audience. She is founder and director of Science & Food, an organization based at UCLA that promotes knowledge of science through food and food through science.

Amy Rowat is an Associate Professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is also a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Bioengineering Department, Center for Biological Physics, and Business of Science Center. Prof. Rowat holds degrees from Mount Allison University (B.Sc. Honors Physics, 1998; B.A. Asian Studies, French, & Math, 1999), the Technical University of Denmark (M.Sc. Chemistry, 2000), and the University of Southern Denmark (Ph.D. Physics, 2005). She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics/ Division of Engineering & Applied Science, Harvard University and Brigham Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School. Rowat is a world expert and pioneer in cellular mechanobiology. She also has a strong track record of innovation. As a postdoctoral researcher, she was an inventor on three patents, including one that is licensed as a foundation of 10x genomics’ single cell genomics products, which have enabled the single cell revolution for both research and diagnostics. At UCLA, Rowat has invented five new technologies, one of which has been issued as a patent and 3 others patent pending. Her innovations have been recognized by awards including the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award 2013-2018; UCLA Physical Sciences Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award 2015; UCLA Life Sciences Innovation Award 2016-17; and Society for Laboratory Automation & Screening (SLAS) 2018 Innovation Award Top Candidate. Her inventions have also led to biological discoveries that are reported in high ranking scientific journals including Cell, Cell Reports, Cancer Research, Journal of Cell Science, Lab on a Chip, and the Biophysical Journal. In addition to her commitment to research, Rowat has pioneered the use of examples from food and cooking as vehicles for teaching sophisticated science concepts to a general audience. She was a key developer of the first annual Science & Cooking class at Harvard University and is founder and director of Science & Food, an organization based at UCLA that promotes knowledge of science through food and food through science. Rowat is also the leader of the Food Pod of the UCLA Semel Healthy Campus Center. Dr. Rowat has received wide media coverage from outlets like the New York Times, LA Times, NPR, Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), and the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC).