Stephanie (Billie) Heard, PhD

I am a natural product researcher with experience characterizing biosynthetic pathways using genetic, biochemical and bioinformatic approaches. My skills include bacterial and fungal synthetic biology, protein biochemistry, and metabolite chemistry. Outside of the lab, I can usually be found running, dancing, or baking.

Heard, S. C.; Wu, G.; Winter, J. M. (2020) Discovery and characterization of a cytochalasan biosynthetic cluster from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus flavipes CNL-338. J Antibiot. 73(11):803-7.

Heard, S. C.; Wu, G.; Winter, J. M. (2021) Antifungal natural products. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 69:232-41.

Heard, S. C.; Diehl, K. L.; Winter, J. M. (2023) Biosynthesis of the fungal nonribosomal peptide penilumamide A and biochemical characterization of a pterin-specific adenylation domain. RSC Chem Biol. 4(10):748-53.

Heard, S. C. and Winter, J. M. (2024) Structural, biochemical and bioinformatic analyses of nonribosomal peptide synthetase adenylation domains. Nat Prod Rep. 41(7):1180-205.

Ph.D. Medicinal Chemistry (University of Utah)
B.A. Chemistry (Kalamazoo College)
B.A. French (Kalamazoo College)