Dr. Houston’s academic journey began with a B.A. in Biology from Hendrix College in 1979, followed by a B.S. in Medical Science in 1980. He culminated his studies with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in 1987, where his research focused on the impact of aging on enzyme systems. His expertise then led him to a post-doctoral position at the University of Virginia, where he delved into diverse research areas, including ligand-receptor interactions of the adenosine receptor, diabetes, and mechanisms of how cells respond to environmental signals, with funding from the American Heart Association. Furthering his career, Dr. Houston became an Assistant Professor at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, securing grants from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the cannabinoid receptor’s potential in Alzheimer’s research.

In 1997, Dr. Houston left academia for industry, and accepted a position as Manager of Research and Development at National Enzyme Company. While there, he upgraded the existing lab and instituted more advanced methods of analysis. Instead wants it to read: Instrumental in new product development, he confirmed the presence of a novel enzyme activity, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), in several commercial protease blends. This enzyme helps in breaking down wheat, dairy, soy and other food proteins. In March of 2000, Dr. Houston left National Enzyme and became a scientific consultant to the dietary supplement industry prior to founding Houston Nutraceuticals, Inc., doing business as Houston Enzymes. Since then, he has formulated second- and third-generation enzyme products that address many digestive issues.