Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network grant for consortium with Dr. Sandy Schmidt and Prof. Gerrit J. Poelarends

Dr. Sandy Schmidt is the coordinator and Prof. Gerrit J. Poelarends is a partner in a consortium that has been awarded a MSCA Doctoral Network grant within the Horizon Europe programme. The researchers of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) will receive EUR 820,000 of the total grant amount of almost EUR 3 million. The project "BIODECCODINNG" aims to decode novel reaction chemistries from enzymes that are currently not accessible with the existing biocatalyst portfolio for building important molecules such as precursors for pharmaceuticals.

Expanding the toolbox of available biocatalysts enabling novel reactions not yet accessible with the existing enzymes is a formidable challenge, but will open exciting new avenues for applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The main goal of the BIODECCODINNG DN is to train and educate Europe’s next 10 visionaries for a sustainable future on cutting-edge enzyme technology centered around novel enzymatic reactions, and to tackle technology gaps, practical challenges, as well as to exploit synthetic opportunities with huge innovation potential. The network is established by world-leading experts from European academic institutions and industrial partners that will together implement the research and training agenda.