My research interests are in the use of bacteria, enzymes and phages to develop new chemicals, pathways and active entities. See: http://www.smb.ucl.ac.uk/synbion/

On joining UCL I started a productive collaboration with the Department of Biochemical Engineering at UCL and with them have investigated several enzyme systems (dioxygenases, transketolase, Baeyer-Villiger mono-oxygenases, cytochrome P450's and transaminases) with the aim of producing robust biocatalysts. In addition, with colleagues in the Department of Chemistry we are developing the de novo construction of biosynthetic pathways for chiral molecules. I am a member of the IMRC in Biochemical Engineering and use cell engineering to aid the bioprocessing of plasmid DNA, recombinant proteins and phages. I am a founding PI in the BiCE group and this Biocatalysis Team has won two awards in 2010.   With colleagues at the Eastman Dental Institute we are investigating the interaction of commensal and pathogenic bacteria with the human host using metagenomics and phage display to isolate adhesins. The techniques of metagenomics and my interest in novel bacteria have led to collaborations in the area of astrobiology. I use the techniques and concepts of Synthetic Biology in the construction of novel pathways for making chiral molecules and the use of phages in electronic and optical applications.