Österreichische Gesellschaft für Molekulare  
Biowissenschaften und Biotechnologie (ÖGMBT) 
Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology 

 

 
 ÖGMBT SEMINAR, Zweigstelle SÜD

Title: Engineering microbes to create and harness newer-to-nature building blocks 

Invited speaker:  Prof. Aditya Kunjapur, University of Delaware 

Abstract:  

Newer-to-nature building blocks such as non-standard amino acids (nsAA) can expand the repertoire 
of chemistries and functions that living systems can produce. However, reliance on chemical 
synthesis of nsAAs introduces several kinds of constraints that impact the costs and contexts where 
nsAAs can be used. In this talk, I will describe how biosynthesis of nsAAs can create new capabilities 
and safeguards for microbial engineering, including applications towards live vaccines or controlled 
release of microbes into the environment. I will also describe how one-pot semi-synthesis and 
incorporation of nsAAs within proteins can be an attractive alternative for industrial maturation of 
genetic code expansion (GCE) technologies in biomanufacturing, including a route for synthesis of 
encodable L-phenylalanine derivatives that we have developed in in cell-free and cellular formats. 
Overall, these research directions at the interface of metabolic engineering and chemical biology lay 
the groundwork for accelerating industrial adoption of, and unlocking new opportunities for, GCE for 
the benefit of human and planetary health. 

Date:  12th November 2025 at 11:00 

Location: HS E (NT01088), Kopernikusgasse 24, 1. OG, TUGraz, 2010 Graz 

Contact person: Dr. Margit WINKLER This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.