Research in Chemical Synthetic Biology and Xenobiology
Here you will find about the research of the teams led by Ned (Nediljko) Budisa who is currently Biocatalysis group leader at the Technical University of Berlin (Germany) and recently appointed Tier 1 Canada Research Chair of Chemical Synthetic Biology at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg (Canada).
Our teamwork is based on the vision to create artificial biodiversity with new genetic codes to elucidate life on a molecular level and to develop related technologies.
This requires an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of the chemistry, biology and physics. That is why synthetic chemists work together with molecular biologists, biotechnologists, bioinformatics and biophysicists in our laboratories.
Our core competencies include protein and proteome engineering through directed evolution based on the in vivo incorporation of noncanonical amino acids during ribosomal translation. Of course, that would never work without chemistry.
Therefore, we are performing various organic syntheses, mainly of bioorthogonal amino acids, and investigate their effects on model peptides, proteins, protein-based complex scaffolds and whole cells (populations).
Our past experience combined with unique know-how motivates us to further advance our research into the elucidation, engineering and control of cellular processes in a chemical way. We anticipate this as the most promising path to create synthetic life forms.
If you would like to know more about our research, teaching, activities, projects, ideas and visions, just click above on the corresponding field in the navigation bar.
