Divyansh Prakash
My research experience involves the study of enzymes as biocatalysts and their role in mitigating global warming and improving human health. I pursued a project during my M.Sc. on the development of bio-inspired oxygen reduction catalysts using cost-effective, earth-abundant metals and redox-active ligands under the mentorship of Prof. Arnab Dutta at the Indian Institute of Technology. The bimetallic Cu complexes I made exhibited bidirectional O2/H2O conversion useful in regenerative fuel cells. The studies also show that the outer coordination sphere of the complex plays a significant role in catalysis and modulating hydroxyl residues improved the catalyst performance. The experience eventually led to two co-authored publications and a book chapter. My graduate research in the laboratory of Prof. Saumen Chakraborty at the University of Mississippi focused on artificial Cu-enzymes, which is a natural progression from my previous work. I developed a novel class of artificial Cu proteins (ArCuP) as sustainable bioinorganic catalysts for the activation of small molecules. I de novo designed sequence-guided self-assembled peptides that can bind metals and investigated the reactivity with O2, H2O2, and benzylic C–H substrates (C–HBDE~ 85-98 kcal/mol), tuned outer sphere modifications to enhance catalysis, and explored the role of H-bonding interactions in ArCuPs that are involved in minimizing solvent reorganization energies which were studied by creating key mutations in the second sphere coordination. I also received a graduate fellowship from the Centre for Space and Earth Science (CSES) at Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) where I got the opportunity to learn new techniques for protein reengineering. I designed and characterized single-chain versions of de novo proteins to develop asymmetric Cu sites using deep learning and computational methods. The work from my graduate research resulted in multiple co-authored publications, and several of the manuscripts are under review and in the submission process. My other scholastic activities include presenting posters and giving talks at GRC/GRS and ACS conferences, attending workshops, and many more.
My long-term goal is to pursue an independent research career as a Principal Investigator at an R1 institution. As an independent investigator, I plan to unravel enzymatic reactions that are functionally relevant to solving current challenges in the energy crisis and mitigating global warming. I have ample experience with artificial metalloenzymes from my graduate research and am ready to tackle the challenge of more complex native enzymes. Progress toward my career goal requires that I develop expertise in enzyme preparation and characterization, microbial genetics, structural biology, and advanced biophysical techniques. I therefore have accepted a postdoctoral position in Prof. Amy Rosenzweig’s laboratory at Northwestern University. Currently, I am working with the copper-dependent particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) enzyme. At Northwestern, I have gained experience with cutting-edge research tools used in membrane protein and metalloenzyme characterization, including cryoEM and advanced paramagnetic resonance techniques. While I used X-ray crystallography in my graduate research, cryoEM is rapidly becoming a method of choice in structural biology and is essential to my preparation for an independent research career. Moreover, pMMO is a membrane-bound enzyme, which presents new challenges in biochemistry. Through generating and cultivating methanotroph mutants, I have gained new skills in genetic engineering and microbiology. Prof. Rosenzweig has an outstanding track record of trainee preparation and support and has placed numerous postdoctoral fellows in faculty positions at top research institutions including Stanford University, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Texas, San Antonio. The multidisciplinary skills and experiences I am gaining at Northwestern will be a springboard for my career as a leading independent biochemist at a world-class academic institution.
Abstracts this author is presenting: