Grant J. Jensen

Grant Jensen transitioned into the role of Dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at Brigham Young University on November 1, 2020. Before joining BYU, Jensen was a professor of biology and biophysics and the director of the Cryo-EM Center (cryogenic electron microscopy) at Caltech. 

At Caltech, Jensen made significant contributions to the field of electron cryotomography, a revolutionary imaging technique used to create high-resolution 3D views of cells and viruses. He has published nearly 200 papers, many of which have appeared in peer-reviewed journals like Science, Nature, and Cell. 

Jensen completed his doctoral studies in biophysics at Stanford University, where he worked under the mentorship of future Nobel laureate Roger D. Kornberg who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2006. Following his PhD, Jensen pursued postdoctoral research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where his interests expanded to include electron tomography of whole cells. 

In addition to his research endeavors, Jensen is passionate about educating and mentoring aspiring scientists. His popular online course, “Getting Started in Cryo-EM,” has garnered over a million views and has served as a valuable resource for budding researchers worldwide.