Denis Jacob Machado, Ph.D.

Dr. Denis Jacob Machado (click here to learn how to pronounce his name) is an assistant professor in bioinformatics at UNC Charlotte’s Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics (BiG), starting on Aug. 15, 2022. He was one of the first hires of the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER). Born in Brazil, he was also the first Latine faculty at UNC Charlotte’s BiG.

Dr. Jacob Machado is a phylogeneticist and a fellow of the Willi Hennig Society since 2024. In CIPHER, Dr. Jacob Machado erected the Phyloinformatics Lab in 2022. He defines phyloinformatics as an approach that leverages computational intelligence and phylogenetics to build an evolutionary framework for integrating multi-omics data, addressing practical questions in One Health. One Health, a collaborative effort across multiple disciplines at local, national, and global levels, aims to achieve optimal health for humans, animals, plants, and the environment. While the concept is not new, the Phyloinformatics Lab recognizes its growing importance in response to increased zoonotic disease risks driven by human-wildlife contact, urbanization, habitat destruction, climate change, and global trade. Given these challenges, our lab focuses on two main research areas: investigating the emergence, evolution, and spread of new pathogens to prevent and treat infectious diseases and developing computational and molecular solutions that enhance access to biorepository data for biomedical research.

Dr. Jacob Machado is a trainer and supporter of UNC Charlotte’s Green Dot strategy to reduce interpersonal violence on campus. He is also happy to collaborate with UNC Charlotte’s students on their career development and management. Among other service activities, Dr. Jacob Machado is an active member of the Latinx/Hispanic Faculty and Staff Caucus and supports community efforts that celebrate our diverse cultures at UNC Charlotte and in the region.