Understanding how PLP-dependent enzymes work and can be used to make new compounds
Official title: Understanding the specificity and non-native catalytic activity of PLP-dependent enzymes
Funded at University of California Santa Barbara · NIH-11395294 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying PLP-dependent enzymes to learn how they catalyze diverse reactions and how we might harness them for making new medicines and bioactive compounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Barbara NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Barbara, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $375,613 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151205-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395294 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant is a basic-science project; it does not directly enroll patients but may inform future therapeutic development relevant to human health.
✕Less likely to help
There is no direct patient enrollment or treatment component in this grant.
What this research studies
PLP-dependent enzymes are powerful natural catalysts involved in metabolism and the creation of complex organic molecules. This program aims to uncover how different PLP enzymes form and break carbon-carbon bonds, including a newly discovered Mannich cyclase, through discovery, mechanistic studies, and practical biocatalysis applications. The work combines laboratory experiments with applying what is learned to synthesize noncanonical amino acids and chiral amine pharmaceuticals. By understanding these enzymes better, researchers hope to predict, tailor, and expand their useful activities for therapeutic development. The project is supported by strong preliminary data and aims to translate basic insights into practical biocatalytic tools.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new, greener ways to produce important drugs and amino acids using enzyme-based processes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous PLP enzyme studies have advanced our understanding of catalysis and biocatalysis, with growing success in applying enzymes to synthesize complex molecules.
Where this research is happening
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University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hai, Yang — University of California Santa Barbara
- Study coordinator: Hai, Yang
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.