The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $543,183 Project Grant under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF SUNY), which serves as the fiscal agent for SUNY campuses. The grant, awarded on October 1, 2023, supports a study led by Andrew Murkin at the University at Buffalo on the mechanisms and inhibition of organic and enzymatic isomerization reactions.
The key products and services to be delivered through this award include:
- Investigating the mechanisms of isomerization, which is critical to the synthesis of many chemicals and biomolecules, using three examples - one involving organic compounds with a catalyst, and two involving enzymes from organisms that cause severe infections like tuberculosis.
- Determining the transition state structures and rate-determining steps for the Lewis acid-catalyzed and enzyme-catalyzed reactions to guide the design of potential enzyme inhibitors.
- Providing educational development for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as training for K-12 teachers to introduce enzymes in hands-on lessons.
The findings from this research may lead to the development of improved catalysts and pharmaceuticals that target enzymes associated with various diseases.
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