Current Projects
1. Improving protein stability with non-aqueous solvents.
Due to their widespread use in today’s society, there is a growing need to stabilize enzymes and improve their performance. Enzymes play a crucial role in biomanufacturing by enabling the conversion of raw materials into valuable products. Because these processes rely on bio-based feedstocks, improving their underlying chemistry is important from both an economic and a sustainability perspective. In this project we are utilizing deep eutectic solvents (DES) to manipulate the local environment of enzymes and their substrates. Our ultimate objective is to enhance enzyme activity and conversion, and to potentially expand the operational range. Collaboration with Matysiak.
(References: Singh 2020, Lee 2022, Lee 2024).
2. Synthesis of repetitive proteins via DNA supramolecular polymerization.
The development of coatings and adhesives that are suited to a wet environment has been challenging for many years. Traditional adhesives such as cyanoacrylates and epoxies react with water rather than the intended surface. Thus improving the water-tolerance of such materials has the potential to improve a number of technologies (e.g., medical tissue sealants). In this project we are merging concepts from synthetic polymer chemistry and DNA nanotechnology to create new mussel-inspired repetitive proteins, and related protein libraries. The work here also sets the stage for future efforts making other highly repetitive proteins.
(References: Lanier 2018, Amorin 2023).
