2024

New paper: A translation-independent directed evolution strategy to engineer aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

by Sarah Smaga

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) catalyze the condensation of ɑ-amino acid monomers with tRNA. The resulting aminoacyl-tRNAs are used as substrates by the ribosome to generate natural sequence-defined bio-polymers. The ribosomal synthesis of non-natural sequence-defined bio-polymers demands aaRS enzymes for non-natural monomers. Current aaRS engineering platforms rely… Read More »New paper: A translation-independent directed evolution strategy to engineer aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

Leah Roe wins poster prize at ChemBio in the Bay Area Day

by Sarah Smaga

Last weekend, C-GEM researchers from Berkeley attended the ChemBio in the Bay Area Day at UCSF. This annual conference brings together students from UCSF, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and UC Santa Cruz for a day of scientific exchange and networking opportunities. Two C-GEM researchers presented:… Read More »Leah Roe wins poster prize at ChemBio in the Bay Area Day

New paper: Incorporation of multiple β2-hydroxy acids into a protein in vivo using an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

by Sarah Smaga

Proteins with extended or alternative backbones represent the next frontier in protein and biomaterial evolution. One extended backbone of great interest includes β-esters found in natural products and bioplastics. In this paper, the authors report that β2-hydroxy acids possessing both (R) and (S) absolute configuration… Read More »New paper: Incorporation of multiple β2-hydroxy acids into a protein in vivo using an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

Recap: C-GEM chats careers at startups

by Sarah Smaga

This week we spoke with Dr. Nathanael Goldberg and Dr. Anthony Silvestri about careers at startups. Dr. Goldberg trained in synthetic chemistry and directed evolution before joining Aralez, a small startup in the Bay Area that makes noncanonical amino acids using biocatalysis. Dr. Silvestri trained… Read More »Recap: C-GEM chats careers at startups

C-GEM talks biopolymers at the Tri-Valley Innovation Expo

by Sarah Smaga

Last weekend, C-GEM exhibited at the Tri-Valley Innovation Expo at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA. Postdocs Alexandra Kent and Preeta Pratakshya, Graduate students Noah Hamlish and Cameron Swenson, and undergraduate Cathy Zhu joined Executive Director Sarah Smaga to share C-GEM research. Over 300… Read More »C-GEM talks biopolymers at the Tri-Valley Innovation Expo

C-GEM students receive NSF graduate research fellowship and honorable mentions

by admin

Vincent Chim (graduate student, UC Berkeley) was named a 2024 NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Jess Vance (post-baccalaureate, UC Berkeley) and Adrianna Hudmya (graduate student, U Minnesota) were both given honorable mentions. Congratulations, everyone! Our blog features advice from 2020 NSF Graduate Research Fellow Leah Roe… Read More »C-GEM students receive NSF graduate research fellowship and honorable mentions

Call for applications: Education, Outreach, and Diversity Manager

by Sarah Smaga

C-GEM is looking for our next Education, Outreach, and Diversity Manager! The position is based at UC Berkeley, where the ideal candidate will work closely with Director Schepartz and Managing Director Smaga. The Education, Outreach, and Diversity Manager manages education and outreach programs of the… Read More »Call for applications: Education, Outreach, and Diversity Manager

Leah Roe wins 2024 WCC-Merck Research Award

by admin

Congratulations to Leah Roe (graduate student, UC Berkeley) for winning the ACS Women Chemists Committee Merck Research Award to present her research at an awards symposium during the 2024 Fall ACS meeting.

Three C-GEM students win poster prizes at Peptides GRC

by Sarah Smaga

Three C-GEM graduate students were awarded poster prizes at the Chemistry and Biology of Peptides Gordon Research Conference last week. The theme of the conference was “Exploring Peptides as Natural and Unnatural Scaffolds for Discovery.” Leah Roe (Schepartz Lab) was awarded first place, Isaac Knudson… Read More »Three C-GEM students win poster prizes at Peptides GRC

New paper: Minimization of the E. coli ribosome, aided and optimized by community science

by Sarah Smaga

The ribosome is a ribonucleoprotein complex found in all domains of life. Its role is to catalyze protein synthesis, the messenger RNA (mRNA)-templated formation of amide bonds between α-amino acid monomers. Amide bond formation occurs within a highly conserved region of the large ribosomal subunit… Read More »New paper: Minimization of the E. coli ribosome, aided and optimized by community science