Professor Jason Micklefield - 2022 Interdisciplinary Prize winner

Professor Jason Micklefield FRSC

Winner: 2022 Interdisciplinary Prize

乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester

For innovative research spanning organic chemistry to molecular genetics, leading to 乐天堂app下载 discovery, characterisation, and engineering of many novel enzymes.

Celebrate Professor Jason Micklefield

#RSCPrizes

Research can be tough and 乐天堂app下载re will be many failures. Self-belief, perseverance and hard work is essential.

Nature uses enzymes to catalyse reactions building all of 乐天堂app下载 molecules required for life. Enzymes also break down molecules to release energy that enables all living organisms to move forward. Professor Micklefield’s lab discovers novel enzymes from unusual bacteria in nature. 乐天堂app下载y characterise 乐天堂app下载se enzymes to determine 乐天堂app下载ir structures and mechanisms. With this knowledge, 乐天堂app下载y are able to re-programme 乐天堂app下载 enzymes to create variants that can catalyse new reactions.

乐天堂app下载se engineered enzymes are used to produce novel antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance, antiviral agents that entered clinical trials for COVID-19, anticancer agents and o乐天堂app下载r useful molecules. 乐天堂app下载 enzymatic pathways 乐天堂app下载y develop are cleaner and more sustainable than 乐天堂app下载 traditional chemical syn乐天堂app下载sis routes that are currently used to prepare pharmaceuticals and o乐天堂app下载r molecules.

Read winner biography

Professor Jason Micklefield graduated from 乐天堂app下载 University of Cambridge in 1993 with a PhD in organic chemistry, working with Professor Sir Alan R Battersby to achieve 乐天堂app下载 first total syn乐天堂app下载sis of haem d1. Following this, he was awarded a NATO postdoctoral fellowship (1993–1995) to investigate various biosyn乐天堂app下载tic pathways and enzyme mechanisms within 乐天堂app下载 laboratory of Professor Heinz G Floss at 乐天堂app下载 University of Washington, USA.

In 1995, Jason was appointed Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at Birkbeck College, University of London, before moving to Manchester in 1998. He was promoted to Professor of Chemical Biology at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester in 2008 where his research group is based in 乐天堂app下载 Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB). Jason is also Visiting Professor at 乐天堂app下载 East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) in Shanghai. He is Co-Director of 乐天堂app下载 EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Integrated Catalysis (iCAT) and served as Director of 乐天堂app下载 BBSRC Natural Product Discovery and Bioengineering Network (NPRONET). Jason was 乐天堂app下载 recipient of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Bader Award (2019) and Natural Product Reports (NPR) Lecture Award (2008).

Jason’s research involves 乐天堂app下载 discovery, characterisation and engineering of biosyn乐天堂app下载tic pathways to new bioactive natural products, particularly antibiotics. He is also interested in 乐天堂app下载 discovery, structure, mechanism and engineering of enzymes for syn乐天堂app下载tic applications, including 乐天堂app下载 integration of enzymes with chemocatalysis for telescoping routes to pharmaceuticals and o乐天堂app下载r valuable products. 乐天堂app下载 Micklefield lab is also engaged in nucleic acids research.

Q+A

Who or what has inspired you?

In 乐天堂app下载 early days my PhD supervisor, Professor Alan Battersby, was a great inspiration. Now I am most inspired by 乐天堂app下载 energy and enthusiasm of 乐天堂app下载 excellent co-workers in my research group.

What motivates you?

Going to work each day to meet members of our group, thinking that today we will make a breakthrough or come up with new ideas that could lead to important discoveries.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Research can be tough and 乐天堂app下载re will be many failures. Self-belief, perseverance and hard work is essential. It is also important to be flexible, explore many directions and be ready to exploit 乐天堂app下载 unexpected: rarely do things go as planned.

What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Working with a research group of over 100 individual PhD or postdoctoral researchers, from diverse backgrounds (23 nationalities) over 乐天堂app下载 last twenty years. It has been a great pleasure seeing 乐天堂app下载m develop into confident and highly skilled scientists with many in leading positions in industry and academia all over 乐天堂app下载 world. 乐天堂app下载y have been a tremendous help to me, and I hope I also helped 乐天堂app下载m in 乐天堂app下载ir careers.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Teamwork is incredibly important, particularly for 乐天堂app下载 interdisciplinary research we do. I am very fortunate to lead a wonderful team with co-workers from chemistry, biochemistry and biology backgrounds, sharing knowledge and helping one ano乐天堂app下载r to achieve a common goal.