Advancing pharmaceutical carbohydrate manufacture by selective enzymatic oxidation

This project requires an ambitious student with a background in chemistry or biochemistry to help us to develop novel approaches to drug manufacturing through biocatalysis. Green and sustainable routes to pharmaceuticals generation are becoming increasingly important.

We have identified several oxygenases and oxidase that are under-utilised resources for such transformations relevant to the modification of sugars for associated drugs (antibiotics, anti-cancer, vaccines).

We now aim to explore these enzymes in detail, and study their optimisation for potential future biomanufacturing applications. This is a collaborative effort between 3 research groups with complementary expertise and comprising 18 researchers.

The student will receive a rounded training in chemical biology research, with a focus on enzymatic transformations, the characterisation and deployment thereof.

No prior experience with enzymes or carbohydrates is necessary - full training will be provided, with specific details tailored to meet the needs and interests of the student.