CATalytic mechanisms and AppLications of OXidoreductases - CATALOX

Reduction and oxidation (redox) reactions play a pivotal role in nature because of their importance in energy metabolism and the biosynthesis of a plethora of natural products. Similarly, many industrial syntheses leading to a wealth of chemical compounds involve redox reactions. However, many of the currently employed redox reactions require the use of toxic reagents or are economically inefficient. CATALOX will provide an array of cutting edge research projects as well as a solid methodological platform with the aim to set new standards in the understanding and potential utilisation of enzyme catalysed redox reactions. Our faculty combines the highly interdisciplinary research activities of five institutes, i.e. Biochemistry (Macheroux), Biotechnology & Biochemical Engineering (Nidetzky), Molecular Biotechnology (Glieder and Kourist), Process and Particle Engineering (Gruber-Wölfler) and Organic Chemistry (Breinbauer) at the Graz University of Technology and two institutes, i.e. Chemistry (Kroutil) and Molecular Biosciences (Gruber) at the University of Graz and thus represents an internationally recognized consortium in the area of biocatalysis and biotechnology. Furthermore, our aims will be supported by close interactions with the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology to explore the utility of our scientific discoveries for applications and to link our students with its industrial network of possible future employers and partners. A hallmark of our proposal is the proven close collaboration within our consortium, but equally our engagement with national and international experts to achieve the successful development of fundamental research topics. Our PhD training program will provide an outstanding platform for doctoral students to investigate the catalytic mechanisms and the potential applications of redox enzymes, so-called oxidoreductases, with a focus on challenging reactions. This will ensure that our students have the opportunity to be trained in a variety of competitive and international research environments and thus prepare them for a leading career in research and development. The recruitment and selection process for doctoral students will adhere to international standards to ensure that the best applicants will be admitted to our program. The doctoral students will benefit from a network of mentoring and supervisory instruments throughout their training. Equally important, the students will benefit from a multidisciplinary group of internationally recognized principal investigators and a well-defined set of hypothesis-driven research projects. In this unique and focused research environment, the students will acquire expertise in crucial areas of enzyme catalysis ranging from organic synthesis, mechanistic enzymology, structural biology to process engineering. Thus, our ambitious and competitive program will promote the careers of young scientists, enhance the visibility of biotechnological research in Austria and set the stage for new ground-breaking and innovative basic as well as translational research. 1

The doc.funds initiative CATALOX joint 10 young researchers to investigate the mechanisms and applications of so-called oxidoreductases. These biocatalysts form the largest class of enzymes and play an important role in energy metabolism. The associated doctoral program is part of a collaboration between TU Graz and the University of Graz within the framework program "NaWI Graz". As part of their scientific training, the doctoral students benefited from the international reputation of the participating research group leaders and the focused research projects. The interdisciplinary approach offered the young researchers the opportunity to prepare themselves for attractive career options in research and development. In the dissertation projects, the doctoral students acquired detailed knowledge in key topics of biocatalysis and biotechnology - from organic synthesis, mechanistic enzymology, enzyme engineering, structural biology to process technology. The results of the research range from the isolation of new cold-active oxidoreductases and mechanistic investigations to the establishment of new catalysts for the use of renewable raw materials.