Engineering new biocatalysts: optimising new protein scaffolds by rational design

Our research group integrates chemistry, biology, and structural analysis to understand and engineer biocatalysts. We focus on: i) Biocatalyst development and optimization –creating and optimizing natural and artificial enzymes for carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond formation, ii) Structural and dynamic analysis – reveling mechanisms of action and molecular recognition of biocatalysts and other functional proteins, iii) Protein evolution and design –using evolutionary principles to uncover the molecular basis of the origin of life, and to guide the design of new, efficient biocatalysts. This multidisciplinary approach enables us to connect fundamental understanding with practical enzyme innovation.