Prof. Poelarends partner in consortium that receives H2020 Marie Curie ETN grant

Prof. Gerrit J. Poelarends of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy ( GRIP ) is partner in a consortium that has been awarded a H2020 Marie-Curie ETN grant. The grant of almost EUR 4 million is for the CC-TOP project, which aims to discover and optimize novel enzymes that can catalyze the selective formation of C-C bonds for building important molecules.

The European training network "CC-TOP" uses the most modern tools to discover novel enzymes that can catalyze the selective formation of C-C bonds for construction of important molecules. The biocatalysts will be structurally characterized and optimized for efficient applications in industrial biotechnology. As part of the cooperative network of renowned academic institutions and industrial partners from a total of six countries, 15 PhD students will receive a tailor-made program. They will gain academic and industrial experience in order to help shape sustainable developments in the European chemical industry. The consortium, formed by eight universities, a research institution, two large industrial companies and a medium-sized company, is supported with almost EUR 4 million, of which around EUR 500,000 go to the research group of Prof. G.J. Poelarends. He and his team will develop new enzymes for C-C bond-forming aldol and Michael-type addition reactions for pharmaceutical synthesis.