Research

Chemical and gene Biotechnology are the two main areas of research in the Centre for Biotechnology. The research interests of the participating faculty members are listed below with links to their websites with more information

Chemical Biotechnology

  • J. Atkinson
    Organic Chemistry; Vitamin E Biochemistry; Lipid bioconjugates and reactive probes, Lipid transfer proteins, Protein-membrane interactions
  • I.D. Brindle (emeritus)
    Environmental Analytical Chemistry; Trace element analysis.
  • T. Dudding
    Experimental, computational, and physical organic chemistry. Application of catalytic methodologies to the synthesis of natural products and/or biologically active compounds
  • H. Gordon
    Statistical mechanical investigations, via Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, of biologically relevant molecules.
  • T. Hudlický
    Total synthesis of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids and morphine; synthesis and biological evaluation of oligoinositols; microbial dihydroxylation of aromatic substrates; electrochemical oxidation and reduction of organic molecules.
  • F. Li
    Development of novel analytical tools to address meaningful biological and biomedical questions.
  • C. Metallinos
    Synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry
  • A. G. Reynolds
    Impact of viticultural practices on grape and wine aroma compounds; impact of “terroir” on wine sensory attributes; irrigation and fertilization of grapes; yeast and enzyme effects on wine aroma
  • A. van der Est
    Natural and artificial photosynthesis; time resolved EPR spectroscopy; electron transfer reactions; light-induced electron spin polarization.
  • T. Yan
    Natural and modified nucleic acids (light-responsive nucleic acids, glycosylated nucleic acids, sequence specific modification of nucleic acids); mucosal vaccine adjuvant development; colorimetric and fluorescent labeling of nucleic acids; DNA damage in bacterial spores.

Gene Biotechnology

  • M. Bidochka
    Molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry of insect pathogenic fungi
  • D. H. Bruce
    Photosynthesis; regulation of primary events of energy conversion in photosynthesis; excitation energy distribution in algal/green plant photosystems
  • R. L. Carlone
    Developmental Biology: Retinoids in nerve growth and regeneration
  • A. J. Castle
    Genetics of fungi; cell-cell interaction and communication
  • V. De Luca
    Plant Biochemistry, natural products, metabolic engineering
  • C. Després
    Plant Proteomics and Molecular Pathology
  • F. F. Hunter
    Behavioural ecology of macrophages insects; molecular systematics; cytogenetics
  • D. Inglis
    Redox balance in wine yeast under hyperosmotic stress, yeast gene expression, yeast metabolism, icewine fermentation
  • P. Liang
    Understanding the mechanism of genetic diversity and their contribution to phenotype via bioinformatics and genomics approaches
  • A. G. Reynolds
    Impact of viticultural practices on grape and wine aroma compounds; impact of “terroir” on wine sensory attributes; irrigation and fertilization of grapes; yeast and enzyme effects on wine aroma