Enrique De La Cruz

Enrique De La Cruz is a Cuban-American researcher and educator, known for his research in biochemistry regarding the cytoskeleton of cells.

Early life and education Enrique De La Cruz was born to Cuban parents who immigrated to the United States in the early 1960s following the Cuban Revolution. He grew up in Kearny, New Jersey, This experience sparked his interest in scientific research and encouraged him to pursue a career in biochemistry.

He continued his education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, earning a Ph.D. in cell biology. De La Cruz was appointed head of Branford College in 2017. He was appointed chair of the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale in July 2020.

In addition to his faculty position, De La Cruz is also an associate editor for the Journal of Biological Chemistry of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He also has held visiting professor and scientist roles at prestigious research centers such as Curie, ESPCI Paris Tech, and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Grenoble. In 2018, he received the Emily Gray Award in Education from the Biophysical Society. In 2022, De La Cruz was elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. De La Cruz was named one of seven 2025 Society Fellows of the Biophysical Society in 2024 for his actin cytoskeleton and molecular motor protein research.

Enrique De La Cruz is also dedicated to making science more accessible to underrepresented students, serving on Yale School of Medicine's Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning as well as Yale School of Medicine's Minority Organization for Retention and Expansion Steering Committee. In 2026, he became president-elect of the Biophysical Society.