Carbohydrates, enzymes and natural products

The Jakeman discovery grant program will make fundamental scientific discoveries in biological chemistry. These discoveries will have a significant impact on understanding the mechanisms of enzymes, Nature's predominant catalysts. It focuses upon enzymes that catalyze reactions of ubiquitous importance within the natural sciences. It will provide insight into new ways to inhibit specific enzyme classes or to generate greater substrate specificity. Some of these enzymes are responsible for the production of secondary metabolites, small molecules that have unprecedented capacity to interact with the natural world. Many have been harvested and developed as drugs or technological tools. Our studies on the enzymes include paradigm shifting methods to rationally alter the structures, and hence confer different physicochemical properties on natural products.The program of research will provide an excellent training environment for undergraduate, graduate (MSc and PhD) and PDF trainees. Trainees will develop skills in multiple areas including: carbohydrate synthesis, enzymology, molecular genetics, and natural products isolation and structure elucidation. Trainees will experience an environment where daily guidance, discussion and problem-solving are of paramount importance. They will be provided with timely encouragement and feedback on written and oral research results to ensure that they will achieve their maximum potential. Collaboration between trainees at different levels of training helps develop communication skills and improve problem-solving. The trainees will learn research skills relevant to the real-world to provide them with optimum opportunities upon completion of training.Jakeman is a mid-career researcher with an excellent track record of publishing novel research findings in high quality academic journals. He has an extensive network of collaborators within Canada and worldwide with whom he has published. Trainees from his research program have been highly successful as scientists, in industry and academia within Canada and elsewhere.