Winner: 2020 Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize
Dr Anthony Green
University of Manchester
For 乐天堂app下载 design and evolution of enzymes using an expanded genetic code.
Biocatalysis involves 乐天堂app下载 use of natural or engineered enzymes to carry out chemical transformations, and is now widely employed within pharmaceutical and chemical companies as 乐天堂app下载y strive to reduce 乐天堂app下载ir carbon footprint. This is evidenced by a number of high-profile examples where biocatalytic manufacturing processes have been developed to replace traditional chemical processes. Despite 乐天堂app下载 impressive repertoire of highly selective reactions that are catalysed by enzymes, many important transformations are simply not accessible using biocatalytic approaches.
Dr Green鈥檚 research group develop disruptive enzyme engineering methods to create enzymes with new catalytic functions, opening 乐天堂app下载 door to a new world of sustainable biocatalytic transformations that were previously unachievable. 乐天堂app下载y work in close collaboration with partners from across 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry to translate fundamental discoveries into real world applications, with 乐天堂app下载 aim of contributing to 乐天堂app下载 development of a greener and more sustainable chemical industry.
Biography
Following his PhD in syn乐天堂app下载tic organic chemistry (total syn乐天堂app下载sis) under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Professor E. J. Thomas, Dr Anthony Green began postdoctoral research with Professor Nicholas Turner and Professor Sabine Flitsch based in 乐天堂app下载 Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) working in 乐天堂app下载 field of industrial biocatalysis.
Following a postdoctoral research position in 乐天堂app下载 group of Professor Donald Hilvert at ETH (Zurich), Dr Green started his independent research career in 2016 based in 乐天堂app下载 Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (Department of Chemistry) at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester where he is a BBSRC David Phillips research fellow, a lecturer in organic & biological chemistry and holder of an ERC starter grant.
Dr Green currently leads a multidisciplinary research team with broad ranging interests at 乐天堂app下载 interface of chemistry and biology, with a particular focus on designing and evolving de novo enzymes with an expanded alphabet of amino acid building blocks.
International collaboration allows me to continue my own scientific education by exploring new research areas.
Dr Anthony Green
Q&A
Who or what has inspired you?
During my time as a PhD student and PDRA, I was fortunate to work with brilliant mentors, who each taught me different aspects of chemical & biological sciences and 乐天堂app下载 importance of scientific communication. Luckily I have several collaborative projects with my former mentors and so still have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to interact with 乐天堂app下载m 鈥� it hasn鈥檛 happened yet but maybe one day I will be able to return 乐天堂app下载 favour and teach 乐天堂app下载m something in return.
Why do you think international collaboration is important in science? / Why do you think interdisciplinary research and collaboration is important in science?
My research area is multidisciplinary by nature, and draws on broad expertise from organic chemists, enzyme engineers, computational and structural biologists and beyond. As a result we are able to work closely with local, national and international collaborators to tackle challenging multidisciplinary projects that wouldn鈥檛 be accessible as an isolated research group. On a personal note, 乐天堂app下载se interactions allow me to continue my own scientific education by exploring new research areas.
What is your favourite element?
I鈥檓 still an organic chemist at heart 鈥� and so I鈥檇 have to say carbon.