Jian passed ORP exam and is now a Ph.D candidate!

The original research proposal (ORP) is an exam designed to test the ability of graduate students to identify significant scientific questions, to develop research proposals based on rationalized and well-reasoned hypotheses, and, most importantly, to successfully defend the proposal.

In my proposal, I want to make novel photoenzymes for unnatural transformation. Creating novel enzymes for unnatural transformations is extremely beneficial for industry production of fine organic compound. Creating novel photoenzymes (the regime of photo-biocatalysis) can potentially combine the advantages of biocatalysis — such as efficiency, stereoselectivity, and sustainability — with those of photocatalysis, including highly reactive species and mechanistic versatility.
I propose to use cofactor substitution to replace the natural cofactor in the cofactor-dependent enzymes to gain new-to-nature and controllable reactivities (see the picture above).

Here, I want to say thanks to my supervisor, committee members and lab mates. My lab mates helped me practice many times for the presentation and gave me lots of useful questions and suggestions. Jianhan and all my committee members were super helpful and gave me lots of constructive suggestions and questions during the defense.