Characterising and exploiting hydrogen tunnelling in environmentally and medically important enzymes. Theory and experiment will be used to study environmentally and medically important enzymes, and quantify the role that hydrogen tunnelling plays in their activity. The project will determine the basis of their remarkable ability to catalyse chemical reactions, and to engineer and design more efficient proteins and pharmaceuticals.
Structural and mechanistic studies on manganese systems targeting catalytic water oxidation. Hydrogen fuel production from electricity and water sources, such as seawater, is the goal for this research. The present project addresses a key hurdle to be overcome to make this feasible - efficient water oxidation. This project will 'steal nature's secrets' in this by deciphering and mimicking the efficient natural enzyme process.