About

David Sanders is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Yale College in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. He conducted his Ph.D. research in Biochemistry with Dr. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., who was then editor of the journal Science, at the University of California at Berkeley.

“David is the proud father of three sons who have attended the public schools in West Lafayette where the Sanders family are long-term residents.”

  • Participated in the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Biological Weapons Proliferation Prevention Program inspecting the site of biological-weapons development in Siberia.
  • He has investigated the transmission of viruses from other animals, especially birds, to humans and has been invited to speak on ethics, biodefense, evolution, gene therapy, vaccination and influenza viruses in public forums including regular interviews on WIBC in Indianapolis.
  • Recipient of a National Science Foundation Career Award for his work on an enzyme that is involved in production of the greenhouse gas and potential energy source, methane.
  • Holds a U.S. patent on a novel gene-therapy delivery technique.
  • Discovered a biochemical reaction that leads to the entry of cancer-causing retroviruses into cells.
  • Originated the idea of the “Molecule of the Year” feature in Science.
  • American Cancer Society Research Scholar
“David is the proud father of three sons who have attended the
public schools in West Lafayette where the Sanders family are long-term
residents.”