Enzymes are nature’s catalysts – they are responsible for making the reactions that support life. Enzymes are proteins, which are complex, large macromolecules, and it has taken recent developments in technology and techniques to begin to unlock the secrets of how they operate.
This lecture will examine how these remarkable biological molecules work. This knowledge can be used to design new enzymes and to find new strategies to selectively target pathogenic micro-organisms.
Auckland
About Emily Parker
Emily Parker is an Associate Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Canterbury where she leads a research team that uses chemical and biochemical techniques to explore the evolution and molecular details of enzymic catalysis.
Emily completed her undergraduate training in chemistry at the University of Canterbury, and her PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK. She returned to New Zealand in 1998 to take up a lectureship at Massey University. In 2005 she was awarded the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Easterfield medal. In 2006 Emily moved to the University of Canterbury to take up a position in the Chemistry Department. She was awarded the Applied Biosystems Award by the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2008, and in 2010 Emily received a National Teaching Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching. Emily is a principal investigator of the Biomolecular Interaction Centre, and serves on the board of directors of Landcare Research.