Prof. Donald Hilvert - ETH Zurich "Design can pave the way to fully programmable enzyme catalysts"

Abstract

Biocatalysis is emerging as a key enabling technology for the development of a greener and
more efficient chemical industry. Because natural enzymes are seldom suitable for direct use in
chemical processes, however, protein engineering is typically required to optimize their
properties for practical applications. For many desirable chemical transformations, natural
enzymes may not even exist. Recent advances on the computational design of atomically
accurate protein structures, combined with high-throughput evolutionary optimization, are
providing a potential roadmap for reliably creating new-to-nature biocatalysts in response to
diverse societal demands. In this lecture, the strategies, opportunities, and challenges facing this
emerging field will be surveyed.

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Organizer   Giulio RAGAZZON