Mandë Holford

Mandë Holford is Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and Curator of Malacology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. She was previously a professor of chemistry at Hunter College, with additional appointments at the American Museum of Natural History and Weill Cornell Medical College. She earned her Ph.D. in Synthetic Protein Chemistry from The Rockefeller University after completing undergraduate studies at York College, City University of New York.

Her interdisciplinary research spans biochemistry and drug discovery, focusing on peptides derived from venomous marine snails as potential tools for studying and treating pain and cancer. In addition to her research, she has contributed to science diplomacy initiatives and public engagement, including co-founding KillerSnails, an educational games company supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation.