Evolving Biotechnology

Victoria University of Wellington invites you to a public lecture by Professor of Biotechnology, David Ackerley.

Lectures, talks and seminars

Registration is essential

Lecture Theatre 1 (TTRLT1), Te Toki a Rata, Gate 7, Kelburn Parade


Description

Enzymes are tiny biological machines that catalyse the chemistry of life. Re-engineering these machines has allowed scientists to advance many diverse areas of medical, environmental, agricultural and industrial biotechnology.

Join Victoria University of Wellington’s Professor of Biotechnology David Ackerley as he describes engineering enzymes using “directed evolution” – a Darwinian approach of randomly mutating a single target gene, then selecting variants where serendipitous changes have improved a desirable feature. Using this method, Professor Ackerley has evolved enzymes to detoxify environmental pollutants, improve cancer gene therapies, or produce pigments for biosensors – the latter also having applications in bacterial art.


For more information contact: Kylie Green

04 463 6844