Alumni Bettering the World: Environmental startup scientist Adnan Syed ‘06

For Adnan Syed ’06, the seeds of a career in the biological sciences were planted early. He points to Greenhills faculty, notably his science teachers Cathy Renaud and Tom Friedlander, for cultivating his early curiosity, connection, and care for the natural world, and to the extended Greenhills community for enriching it.

“Ms. Renaud was always very encouraging and helped me gain confidence in my abilities and to pursue my interests, while Mr. Friedlander’s respect for nature made a lasting impression,” Syed recalls. “They both had a major impact on how I approach science and the world in general.”

After graduation, he enrolled at Eastern Michigan University.

“I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but in my first semester I had Dr. Bob Winning, Ms. Renaud’s husband, for introductory biology and his engaging class piqued my curiosity about biology research. The next semester I connected with Greenhills alum Dr. Marianne Laporte ’84, a prominent professor in the biology department at EMU who sparked my interest in plant biology and sustainability.”

That became a turning point for his education and career, and it’s also when he became an avid gardener—an enduring passion that has allowed him to continue exploring nature for his own pleasure.

After several years studying plant biology and biofuels, Syed pursued a PhD in molecular biology at the University of Michigan, eventually specializing in microbiology and researching how microbes form communities. His collaborative work on human-made compounds in the environment led to an impactful real-world finding:

“The small levels that enter the body from these personal care products are enough to influence the skin microbiome to promote colonization with bacterial pathogens.”

That research contributed to the federal ban of triclosan, a compound once commonly found in toothpaste and other personal care items.

In 2016, Adnan joined the lab of Rich Losick at Harvard University as a postdoctoral researcher, studying how bacteria use genetic pathways to make community-wide decisions. It’s work that proved especially relevant in the fight against antibiotic-resistant infections.

“At this point, I found myself pretty far away from what started me in science and decided I needed to refocus and find a way back to sustainability,” he shared. “I was fortunate to be in Boston, which is a major center for biotech. I was able to transition into climate biotech to help develop biological approaches to solve big and meaningful problems.”

Syed now leads the microbiology efforts at Breaking, a cutting-edge startup using synthetic biology to develop biological solutions to break down plastics.

“It’s fulfilling to be able to apply my expertise in microbiology directly to a major environmental problem, the persistence of plastics.”

Adnan is also passionate about helping the next generation of scientists.

“Strong teachers and mentors were formative forces in my life. As a postdoc at Harvard, I was asked to join the teaching faculty—a position which I still hold—mentoring undergraduate students throughout their studies, teaching them about science outside of academia.”

He continues to live in the Boston area with his wife, a biochemist in the precision medicine field (they met at Michigan), and their two young children, ages 7 and 1.

“We love Boston, because of all the varied environments so close to each other,” Adnan shared.

“From our neighborhood on the northside, I bike to work in the city. We can bike to the beach or take a short drive to hike in the mountains in New Hampshire or central Massachusetts. We also spend a lot of time in our front and backyard gardens, which are filled with flowers and vegetables.”

Whenever Mr. Zellers visits Boston, he and Adnan can usually be found catching up over breakfast at Lucie in the Back Bay.

“I’m a lifelong member of the Squirrel appreciation club!” Adnan jokes, much to the chagrin of Mr. Zellers.

Originally published in the 2024-2025 Forum Magazine