New enzymes from the human gut and archaea that make halogenated chemicals
Official title: Discovery and Characterization of Novel Halogenases from the Human Microbiome and from Archaea
Funded at University of Toledo · NIH-11221535 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are looking for enzymes in gut microbes and archaea that can make chlorinated and brominated chemicals useful for greener drug-making.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Toledo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toledo, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $510,554 |
| NIH project number | 2R15GM144877-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11221535 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is lab-based discovery work rather than a treatment trial, so people who could contribute microbiome samples or participate in biospecimen research would be the most relevant participants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients looking for direct clinical treatment or immediate therapeutic benefit are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this basic enzyme-discovery project.
What this research studies
The team will search microbial and archaeal genomes to find new flavin-dependent halogenase enzymes, including ones from the human microbiome. They will test which aromatic compounds each enzyme can modify and determine which positions on the molecules get halogenated. The researchers will solve enzyme structures and run lab assays to understand how the enzymes work and which substrates they prefer. Results will expand a toolkit of enzymes that chemists could use to make pharmaceutically relevant molecules under milder, greener conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable safer, more environmentally friendly ways to make drug ingredients and speed creation of certain medicines.
How similar studies have gone: Related flavin-dependent halogenases have been characterized before and used in greener chemistry, but finding new enzymes with different selectivity is an active and partly novel area.
Where this research is happening
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University of Toledo
Toledo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bellizzi, John J. — University of Toledo
- Study coordinator: Bellizzi, John J.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.