Assistant Professor Antonio Tinoco Valencia

Talented microbial chemist Assistant Professor Antonio Tinoco Valencia joined the Chemistry & Biochemistry faculty in July 2025, bringing an interdisciplinary research approach that integrates biochemistry, organic chemistry, multiomics, and bioinformatics studies to advance human health. Grounded in his own experience as a first-generation scholar, his work at UCLA is coupled with a strong commitment to broadening participation and advancing diversity in the sciences.

“UCLA is truly the perfect place to launch and grow my research program! The incredibly interdisciplinary collaborative opportunities that we have available to us between the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, the CNSI, the School of Dentistry, and the Medical School is unrivaled,” says Tinoco Valencia. “It’s a dream come true to work alongside my esteemed colleagues and be at the forefront of our respective fields, all while mentoring and teaching students that I personally relate with.”

The Tinoco group employs an interdisciplinary toolkit spanning synthetic chemistry, chemical biology, bioinformatics, and microbiology to uncover new enzymatic functions and microbial metabolites at the interface of human and microbial biology. Their research focuses on investigating the chemistry encoded by uncharacterized gut microbes, discovering and elucidating the ecological functions of bacterial natural products from the oral microbiome, and developing platforms for the directed evolution of microbiomes to enable the biodegradation of environmental pollutants, with implications for both human health and environmental sustainability.

Born in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México, and raised in the San Gabriel Valley after immigrating to the United States, Tinoco Valencia is the first in his family to attend college and earn a degree. Reflecting his commitment to supporting first-generation students in science, he is collaborating with the Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) to develop initiatives aimed at increasing Latinx student participation in chemistry and biochemistry at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and supporting their long-term career success.

Learn more about Tinoco Valencia’s research and career: https://www.tinocolab.com/