Molecular Fundamentals of Enzyme Nanogel as a Robust Catalyst

Date: Nov. 13, 2008
Time: 3:00 pm
Place: 136 Ross Hall

Zheng Liu
Professor and Associate Director
Research Institute of Chemical Engineering Science and Technology at
Tsinghua University in China

Liu obtained his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from Tsinghua University in 1987, 1989 and 1993, respectively. He previously worked as a UNESCO Research Fellow with the Tokyo Institute of Technology and served as the department chair from 1999 to 2006. His research focuses on chemical and biomolecular engineering, with special interests in chemical re-engineering of enzymes for industrial biocatalysis; in vitro protein refolding using chemical chaperones; molecular imprinting for chiral separation; and bioremediation of oil and salt contaminated soil. He has published more than 120 peer-reviewed journal papers and received many international awards. He holds 15 patents.

Molecular Fundamentals of Enzyme Nanogel as a Robust Catalyst
Liu will review recent efforts in developing novel methods for protein refolding and modification, both of which are key steps associated with the transition of protein conformation. Liu's group designed and fabricated single enzyme nanogels via aqueous in situ polymerization, which enabled the enzymes to display catalytic powers at high temperatures and in anhydrous solvents.