Chemistry Seminar: Biocatalysis and Complex Molecule Synthesis

Natural sources, such as plants, fungi and microbes, have historically provided compounds with potent pharmaceutical properties. Whereas it can be challenging to build complex natural products in a lab using existing chemistry methods, Nature has perfected these biosynthetic pathways. The work described leverages the power of Nature's tools for building complex molecules to synthesize novel molecules with therapeutic potential. The reactivity and selectivity of enzymes from natural product pathways are often unparalleled in existing chemical methods. Enzymes with potential
synthetic utility are used as a starting point for engineering biocatalysts with (1) broad substrate scope, (2) high catalytic efficiency, and (3) exquisite site- and stereoselectivity. These biocatalytic methods are employed to efficiently synthesize biologically active complex molecules.

https://duke.zoom.us/j/94785819681?pwd=aklPVGVRMm5jTFl6eU5QbnVCR1BUdz09
Meeting ID: 947 8581 9681
Password: 133481