Gustavo Arrizabalaga, PhD

With a robust background in faculty affairs and professional development, Gustavo Arrizabalaga joined the Jacobs School in 2024 as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and professor of microbiology and immunology. He previously served as professor in the departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Microbiology and Immunology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He also served as assistant dean for faculty affairs and professional development and assistant director of the independent investigator incubator and director of faculty mentoring at Indiana University.

Arrizabalaga earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he conducted pioneering research on the Drosophila protein Nanos. He further honed his expertise during his post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, focusing on molecular and genetic studies of Toxoplasma gondii. His impressive research portfolio includes numerous peer-reviewed publications that have significantly advanced our understanding of parasitic diseases.

In addition to his academic and research accomplishments, Arrizabalaga has been recognized with multiple teaching awards, including the Trustees Teaching Award and the Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award at Indiana University School of Medicine. His commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident through his leadership roles and accolades, such as the University of Idaho Commitment to Diversity Faculty Award. At Indiana University, he led efforts in faculty mentoring, contributing significantly to the professional growth and development of early-stage faculty members.

He has established an externally funded research program focused on the cell and molecular biology of Toxoplasma gondii. His highly interdisciplinary research program is currently funded by four National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards and includes a research professor, a post-doctoral fellow and four doctoral students.