1992: BSc(Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Berne, Switzerland
1997: PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Queensland
1998-2000: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Queensland
2000: Visiting Academic, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
2000-2002: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University

The Structure, Function, Mechanism and Pharmaceutical Potential of Metalloenzymes

My research lies at the interface between biochemistry, inorganic and physical chemistry. Methodologies applied range from protein expression, purification and characterisation, steady- and pre-steady state enzyme kinetics and bioinformatics to molecular spectroscopy (cw and pulsed EPR, MCD and VTVH MCD, absorption and Raman) and density functional computations. More specifically, I am interested in the study of the reaction mechanisms of enzymes requiring transition metal ions for their catalytic function.

In particular, my current research focuses on a group of binuclear metallohydrolases, which play crucial roles in a variety of metabolic functions, including bone and collagen resorption, prevention of oxidative damage, correction of errors in DNA replication and cell proliferation. More recently, our research group also started to investigate enzymes that (i) can be used for bioremediation (organophosphate-degrading enzymes), and (ii) that are a major cause for emerging resistance of many pathogens towards commonly used antibiotics (metallo-beta-lactamases).

Finally, in collaboration with A/Prof. Gahan, I am interested in the synthesis and characterisation of small molecules that may mimic structural, and possibly some functional aspects of enzymes.

Awards:

University of Queensland Foundation Research Excellence Award, awarded 18/9/2007
University of Queensland Strategic Research Fellowship, awarded 15/10/2000
Wellcome Trust Research Travel Fellowship , awarded 27/3/2000

Selected Publications:

Cox, R.S., Schenk, G., Mitic, N., Gahan, L.R., Hengge, A.C. (2007). Diesterase activity and substrate binding in purple acid phosphatases. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 9550-9551.

Neves, A., Lanznaster, M., Bortoluzzi, A.J., Peralta, R.A., Casellato, A., Castellano, E.E., Herrald, P., Riley, M.J. and Schenk, G. (2007). An unprecedented FeIII(µ-OH)ZnII complex that mimics the structural and functional properties of purple acid phosphatases. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 7486-7487.

Mitic, N., Smith, S.J., Neves, A., Guddat, L.W., Gahan, L.R. and Schenk, G. (2006). The catalytic mechanism of binuclear metallohydrolases. Chem. Rev. 106, 3338-3363.

Schenk, G., Gahan, L.R., Carrington, L.E., Mitic, N., Valizadeh, M., Hamilton, S.E., de Jersey, J. and Guddat, L.W. (2005). Phosphate forms an unusual tripodal complex with the Fe-Mn center of sweet potato purple acid phosphatase. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 102, 273-278.

Schenk, G., Boutchard, C.L., Carrington, L.E., Noble, C.J., Moubarki, B., Murray, K.S., de Jersey, J., Hanson, G.R. and Hamilton, S. (2001). A Purple Acid Phosphatase from Sweet Potato Contains an Antiferromagnetically Coupled Binuclear Fe-Mn Center. J. Biol. Chem. 276, 19084-19088.

Professional Associations:

RACI

ASBMB

Funded Projects:

A National Biomedical Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Molecular Imaging Centre

ARC-LIEF, 2006, $1,278,000

An integrated approach towards development of highly specific chemotherapeutics

ARC-Discovery, 2005-2008, $420,000

Directed evolution of enzymes for bioremediation: structure function studies of bimetalloenzymes.

ARC-Discovery, 2006 - 2009, $260,000

Student Projects Available:

Metallo-beta-lactamases: structure and function of the culprits that make pathogens resistant towards antibiotics

Student Level: PhD Start Year: 2008 Sem Available: 1

Metallo-beta-lactamases: the source of all evil

Student Level: Honours Start Year: 2008 Sem Available: 1

Organophosphate-degrading enzymes: a promising avenue for bioremediation

Student Level: Honours Start Year: 2008 Sem Available: 1

Research Collaborators:

MITIC Natasa
CASELLATO Annelise
GUDDAT Luke - X-ray crystallography and Drug Discovery
GAHAN Lawrence
RILEY Mark
MCGEARY Ross
HANSON, Graeme
HENGGE, Alvan
NEVES, Ademir
LARRABEE, James
SZILAGYI, Robert
OLLIS, David
STRANGER, Robert
DIXON, Nick

Postdoctoral Staff:

CASELLATO Annelise - The University of Queensland
MITIC Natasa - The University of Queensland

Students:

HERRALD Paul - HON
SMITH Sarah - PhD
LEUNG Eleanor - PhD
HADLER Kieran - PhD
ELY Fernanda - PhD
MIRAMS Ruth - ACADCS
VELLA Peter - ACADCS
WONG, Sze-Ho - ACADCS
LEE, Patrick - ACADCS
BUCHHOLZ Rebecca - ACADCS
MCAULEY-JONES Adam - PhD
WONG Sze - PhD
KAN Meng-Wei - PhD

Research Visitors:

Prof. Alvan Hengge

Prof. Robert Szilagyi

Prof. Ademir Neves