DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY

Research Group of Asst. Prof. Radivoje Prodanović

Our group is doing research in the field of Applied Biocatalysis, Chemistry of Natural Products, Protein Engineering and High-Throughput Screening of Biocatalysts.

In the field of Applied Biocatalysis we are studying various methods of chemical modification and immobilization of enzymes like glycosidases, oxidases and dehydrogenases for use in biotransformation reactions of natural products and synthesis of new chemicals in aqueous and non-aqueous systems. We are also developing novel materials and hydrogels based on natural and synthetic polymers for immobilization studies.

In the field of Chemistry of Natural Products we are doing isolation, chemical modification and structural characterization of different phenolic compounds and natural polymers, aiming to obtain novel physiologically active chemical compounds for pharmaceutical industry and novel materials and hydrogels for use in tissue engineering, drug delivery and protein immobilization.

In the field of Protein and Metabolic Engineering using molecular biology techniques, rational design and directed evolution we are studying mechanisms of protein evolution and their influence on activity and stability of proteins, aiming to obtain efficient whole-cell and protein biocatalysts for applications in biosensors, biofuel cells, environment protection and biodiesel production from bio-renewable resources. In the framework of this research we are developing novel Ultra-High Throughput Screening systems using microfluidics, flow cytometry and fluorescent enzymatic assays in in vitro compartmentalization systems like microbeads, microcapsules and microdroplets of single and double water-in-oil emulsions.