Robert Heinz Abeles (January 14, 1926 – June 18, 2000) was an American biochemist, dedicated in particular to enzymology and chemical biology.

This research formed the starting point for his life's work on the mechanisms of the chemical reactions of living systems.

He and William Jencks together turned Brandeis into a leading center in the world for chemical biochemistry.

[1] Abeles, together with Jencks and Westheimer, fostered a strong belief that chemical mechanisms could explain all aspects of metabolism.

Abeles was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1999,[1] and inducted into the Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame of the American Chemical Society.