César de la Fuente is a Presidential Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, where he leads the Machine Biology Group. His research goal is to use the power of machines to accelerate discoveries in biology and medicine. He pioneered the development of the first computer-designed antibiotic with efficacy in animal models, demonstrating the application of AI for antibiotic discovery and helping launch this emerging field. Additional advances from his lab include designing algorithms for antibiotic discovery, reprogramming venoms into antimicrobials, creating novel resistance-proof antimicrobial materials, and inventing rapid, low-cost diagnostic devices for COVID-19 and other infections. 

He pursued postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and earned a PhD at the University of British Columbia (UBC).