Arthur Reis's Biography

Arthur Reis, Senior Research Scientist, Brandeis University

Arthur H. Reis, Jr., Ph.D. is a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Chemistry and a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Biology at Brandeis University, where he has served since 1979. Dr. Reis earned his bachelor’s degree (1968), magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, in chemistry and physics from Cornell College and his master’s degree (1969) and doctorate (1972) in chemistry from Harvard University. He was a solid-state research chemist (1974-1979) at Argonne National Laboratory as well as a space systems and orbital analyst (1972-74) with the United States Air Force. Dr. Reis is one of the early pioneers in single crystal neutron diffraction using pulsed sources. In 1986 he, along with several faculty colleagues, created the Volen National Center for Complex Systems on the Brandeis campus, an interdisciplinary research center focused on understanding the brain, intelligence and advanced computation. Dr. Reis’ current research interests are in the early detection of infectious diseases using molecular biology DNA amplification methods for which he and colleagues have been granted several patents. He has pioneered molecular based assays for the detection of influenza viruses, and MRSA and Sepsis causing bacteria including antibiotic resistance genes. Dr. Reis, who served as Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Brandeis University, has also developed novel teaching methods to instruct students in science who are predominantly non-science majors. Dr. Reis has published more than 100 articles and book chapters and given numerous presentations to members of congress and at seminars and conferences.