I am interested in natural products synthesised by the polyketide and related non-ribosomal peptide pathways. My research group employs a range of structural (X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, NMR and solution scattering) and functional (enzyme kinetics, spectroscopy, etc.) methods to deconvolute, at the molecular level, the catalytic mechanisms of the individual component enzymes from selected synthetic pathways. These investigations form the basis of protein engineering approaches, where we seek to manipulate pathway enzymes to yield novel derivative products with improved therapeutic activities. Other areas of major interest include hybrid polyketide/non-ribosomal peptide antibiotics and anticancer drugs as well as polyketide based cholesterol lowering agents.
