GPCR-Sensor SIGNED

Project "GPCR-Sensor" data sheet

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 Partnership

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 Project objective

Microbial cell factories are an economical and sustainable alternative for the production of pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and other valuable chemicals. However, establishing efficient cell factories requires optimized production strains and efficient biosynthetic enzymes, and involves extensive protein and metabolic engineering to achieve industrially relevant yields. One of the main hurdles frequently encountered in this process is the lack of high-throughput methods for monitoring product accumulation. To overcome this limitation, I will harness G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), the unique molecular entities that eukaryotes use to sense their environment, to create a versatile in vivo biosensor. I will apply synthetic biology principles and an interdisciplinary approach to develop a yeast-based GPCR biosensor for the engineering of enzymes and production hosts. However, enzyme engineering is only one of the potential applications of GPCR-sensor. Its modular structure permits plugging in any GPCR, enabling a great variety of other powerful applications including bio-medical applications, such as recognition of pathogen epitopes, molecular diagnostics and drug discovery, or environmental applications, such as determining the presence of pollutants from environmental samples. In the GPCR-sensor project, I will combine my knowledge in natural product biosynthesis and enzymology with training in biochemical engineering and biotechnology to acquire a unique expertise that will help me establish my own unique line of research. Furthermore, the comprehensive professional development program, that is an integral part of GPCR-sensor, includes close mentoring in addition to training in fund-rising, research management, communication, teaching and academic leadership. These skills that are Instrumental for launching my future independent internationally competitive research career