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Scholarly Interest Report
         
Seiichi P.T. Matsuda
Professor
E. Dell Butcher Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
 
e-mail:matsuda@rice.edu
 
  • B.A. Chemistry (1984) Bethel College
  • Ph.D. Chemistry (1994) Harvard University
 
Primary Department
   Department of Chemistry
 Picture
 
Department Affiliations
 
  • Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
  • Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering
    •  
     
    Research Areas
     Recombinant biosynthetic approaches to natural product biosynthesis. Directed evolution and DNA shuffling to generate new oxidosqualene cyclases. Metabolic engineering to produce terpenes.
     
    Research Statement
     Terpenoids are compounds
    derived from isopentenyl pyrophosphate. They are the most numerous and structurally diverse group of natural products, with 22,000 members displaying more than 300 ring systems. Terpenoids that play crucial roles in vertebrates include the retinoids, the geranylgeranyl and farnesyl protein anchors, the coenzymes Q, vitamins A, D, and E, cholesterol, and the steroid hormones. Terpenoid hormones and pheromones
    are equally important in invertebrates. Plants control growth and development using regulatory terpenes including
    matsuda_workthe
    gibberellins, the brassinosteroids, and abscissic acid. Many plants synthesize defense terpenoids that interfere with
    biological processes in potential herbivores. Some of these compounds are medicinally useful, such as taxol (anticancer), ginkgolide (which delays onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease), and artemisinin (antimalarial). We are cloning and characterizing genes encoding terpene cyclases and terpene oxidases, which catalyze terpene biosynthesis. We engineer microbial metabolic pathways by heterologously expressing these genes. The resultant strains produce natural products, many of which are difficult to obtain by existing methodology. Terpene synthases catalyze spectacular reactions, such as the conversion of epoxysqualene to cycloartenol. We are modifying terpene biosynthetic genes to produce catalysts that make novel natural products.
    In collaboration with Bonnie Bartel in this department, we are studying the function of
    terpenoids in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
     
    Teaching Areas
     organic chemistry, enzyme mechanisms
     
    Selected Publications
     Book chapters
     S.P.T. Matsuda "On the Diversity of Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Biochemical Principles and Mechanisms of Biosynthesis and Biodegradation of Polymers (1998) : 300-307.
     
     Refereed Articles
     Shan, H., Wilson, W.K., Phillips, D.R., Bartel, B., and Matsuda, S.P.T. "Trinorlupeol: a major nonsterol triterpenoid in Arabidopsis." Organic Letters, 10 (2008) : 1897-1900.
     
     J. M. Rasbery, H. Shan, R. J. LeClair, M. Norman, S. P. T. Matsuda, and B. Bartel "Arabidopsis thaliana Squalene Epoxidase 1 is Essential for Root and Seed Development." J. Biol. Chem., 282 (2007) : 17002-17013.
     
     M. D. Kolesnikova, A. C. Obermeyer, W. K. Wilson, D. A. Lynch, Q. Xiong, and S. P. T. Matsuda "The stereochemistry of water addition in triterpene synthesis: the structure of arabidiol." Org. Lett., 9 (2007) : 2183-2186.
     
     M. D. Kolesnikova, W. K. Wilson, William; D. A. Lynch, A. C. Obermeyer, S. P. T. Matsuda "Arabidopsis camelliol C synthase evolved from enzymes that make pentacycles." Org. Lett., 9 (2007) : 5223 -5226.
     
     S. Lodeiro, Q. Xiong, W. K. Wilson, M. D. Kolesnikova, C. S. Onak, and S. P. T. Matsuda "An oxidosqualene cyclase makes numerous products by diverse mechanisms: a challenge to prevailing concepts of triterpene biosynthesis." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 129 (2007) : 11213-11222.
     
     D. R. Phillips, J. M. Rasbery, B. Bartel, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Biosynthetic diversity in plant triterpene cyclization." Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 9 (2006) : 305-314.
     
     M. D. Kolesnikova, Q. Xiong, S. Lodeiro, L. Hua, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Lanosterol biosynthesis in plants." Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 447 (2006) : 87-95.
     
     Q. Xiong, W. K. Wilson, and S. P. T. Matsuda "An Arabidopsis oxidosqualene cyclase catalyzes iridal skeleton formation via Grob fragmentation." Angew. Chem., 45 (2006) : 1285-1288.
     
     S. Lodeiro, W. K. Wilson, H. Shan, and S. P. T. Matsuda "A putative precursor of isomalabaricane triterpenoids from lanosterol synthase mutants." Org. Lett., 8 (2006) : 439-442.
     
     S. P. T. Matsuda, W. K. Wilson, and Q. Xiong "Mechanistic insights into triterpene synthesis from quantum mechanical calculations. Detection of systematic errors in B3LYP cyclization energies." Org. Biomol. Chem. (2006) : 530-543.
     
     H. Shan, M. J. R. Segura, W. K. Wilson, S. Lodeiro, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Enzymatic cyclization of dioxidosqualene to heterocyclic triterpenes." J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2005) : 18008 -18009.
     
     Q. Xiong, F. Rocco, W. K. Wilson, R. Xu, M. Ceruti, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Structure and reactivity of the dammarenyl cation: Configurational transmission in triterpene synthesis." J. Org. Chem., 70 (2005) : 5362-5375.
     
     Q. Xiong, S. A. Hassan, W. K. Wilson, X. Y. Han, G. S. May, J. J. Tarrand, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Cholesterol import by Aspergillus fumigatus and its influence on antifungal potency of sterol biosynthesis inhibitors." Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 49 (2005) : 518-524.
     
     S. Lodeiro, T. Schulz-Gasch, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Enzyme redesign: two mutations co-operate to convert cycloartenol synthase into an accurate lanosterol synthase." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127 (2005) : 14132-14133.
     
     Fazio, G.C., Xu, R., and Matsuda, S.P.T. "Genome mining to identify new plant triterpenoids." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126 (2004) : 5678-5679.
     
     Lodeiro, S., Segura, M.J.R., Stahl, M., Schulz-Gasch, T., and Matsuda, S.P.T. "Oxidosqualene cyclase 2nd sphere residues profoundly influence product profile." ChemBioChem, 5 (2004) : 1581-1585.
     
     Xu, R., Fazio, G.C., and Matsuda, S.P.T. "On the origins of triterpenoid skeletal diversity." Phytochem., 65 (2004) : 261-290.
     
     Bartel, B. and Matsuda S. P. T. "Seeing red." Science, 299 (2003) : 352-353.
     
     Buckner, F. S., Joubert, B. M., Boyle, S. M., Eastman, R. T., Verlinde, C. L. M. J., and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Cloning and Analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi Lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase." Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 132 (2003) : 75-81.
     
     Hinshaw, J. C., Suh, D.-Y., Garnier, P., Buckner, F. S., Eastman, R. T., Matsuda, S. P. T., Coppens, I., Joiner, K. A., Merali, W., Nash, T. E. and Prestwich, G. D. "Oxidosqualene Cyclase Inhibitors as Antimicrobial Agents." J. Med. Chem., 46 (2003) : 4240-4243.
     
     Jackson, B. E., Hart-Wells, E. A., and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Metabolic engineering to produce sesquiterpenes in yeast." Org. Lett., 5 (2003) : 1629-1632.
     
     Segura, M. J. R. , Jackson, B. E. , and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Mutagenesis approaches to deduce structure-function relationships in terpene synthases." Nat. Prod. Rep., 20 (2003) : 304-317.
     
     Xiong, Q., Zhu, X., Wilson, W.K., Ganesan, A., and Matsuda, S.P.T. "Enzymatic synthesis of an indole diterpene by an oxidosqualene cyclase: Mechanistic, biosynthetic, and phylogenetic implications." J. Am. Chem., 125 (2003) : 9002-9003.
     
     B. Ruan, P. S. Lai, C. W. Yeh, W. K. Wilson, J. Pang, R. Xu, Matsuda, S.P.T., and G. J. Schroepfer, Jr "Alternative pathways of sterol synthesis in yeast. Use of C27 sterol tracers to study aberrant double-bond migrations and evaluate their relative importance." Steroids, 67 (2002) : 1109-1119.
     
     LeClere, S., Tellez, R., Rampey, R. A., Matsuda, S. P. T., and Bartel, B. "Characterization of a family of IAA-amino acid conjugate hydrolases from Arabidopsis." J. Biol. Chem., 277 (2002) : 20446-20452.
     
     M. J. R. Segura, S. Lodeiro, M. M. Meyer, A. J. Patel, and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Directed evolution experiments reveal mutations at cycloartenol synthase residue His477 that dramatically alter catalysis." Org. Lett., 4 (2002) : 4459-4462.
     
     M. M. Meyer, R. Xu, and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Directed evolution to generate cycloartenol synthase mutants that produce lanosterol." Org. Lett., 4 (2002) : 1395-1398.
     
     P. Milla, F. Viola, S. Oliaro-Bosso, F. Rocco, L. Cattel, B. M. Joubert, R. J. LeClair, Matsuda, S. P. T., and G. Balliano "Subcellular localization of oxidosqualene cyclases from A. thaliana, T. cruzi and P. carinii expressed in yeast." Lipids, 37 (2002) : 1171-1176.
     
     R. Xu, W. K. Wilson, and Matsuda, S. P. T. "Production of meiosis activating sterols from metabolically engineered yeast." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124 (2002) : 918-919.
     
     S. Lu, R. Xu, J.-W. Jia, J. Pang, Matsuda, S. P. T. , and X.-Y. Chen "Circadian rhythm of (-)-beta-pinene biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L.." Plant Physiol, 30 (2002) : 477-486.
     
     Suzuki, H., Achnine, L., Xu, R., Matsuda, S. P.T., Dixon, R. A. "A functional genomics approach to the early stages of triterpene saponin biosynthesis in Medicago truncatula." Plant J., 32 (2002) : 1033-1048.
     
     B. M. Joubert, F. S. Buckner, and S. P. T. Matsuda. "Trypanosome and animal lanosterol synthases use different catalytic motifs." Org. Lett., 3 (2001) : 1957-1960.
     
     B. M. Joubert, L. N. Nguyen, S. P. T. Matsuda, and F. S. Buckner "Cloning and functional characterization of a Trypanosoma brucei lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase gene." Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 117 (2001) : 115-117.
     
     B.K. Zolman, M. Monroe-Augustus, B. Thompson, J.W. Hawes, K.A. Krukenberg, S.P.T. Matsuda, and B. Bartel "chy1, an Arabidopsis mutant with impaired ?-oxidation, is defective in a peroxisomal ?-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA hydrolase." J. Biol. Chem., 276 (2001) : 31037-31046.
     
     H. G. Schepmann, J. Pang, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Cloning and characterization of Ginkgo biloba levopimaradiene synthase, which catalyzes the first committed step in ginkgolide biosynthesis." Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 392 (2001) : 263-269.
     
     R. G. Gardner, H. Shan, S. P. T. Matsuda, and R. Y. Hampton "A positive oxysterol-derived signal for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase degradation in yeast." J. Biol. Chem., 276 (2001) : 8681-8694.
     
     B.M. Joubert, L. Hua, and S.P.T. Matsuda "Steric bulk at position 454 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae lanosterol synthase influences B-ring formation but not deprotonation." Org. Lett., 2 (2000) : 339-341.
     
     F. S. Buckner, L. N. Ngyuen, B. M. Joubert, S. P. T. Matsuda "Cloning and heterologous expression of the Trypanosoma brucei lanosterol synthase gene." Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 110 (2000) : 399-403.
     
     M. A. Lovato, E. A. Hart, M. J. R. Segura, J.-L. Giner, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Functional cloning of an Arabidopsis thaliana a cDNA encoding cycloeucalenol cycloisomerase." J. Biol. Chem., 275 (2000) : 13394-13397.
     
     M.M. Meyer, M.J.R. Segura, W.K.Wilson, and S.P.T. Matsuda "Oxidosqualene cyclase residues that promote formation of cycloartenol, lanosterol, and parkeol." Angew. Chem., 39 (2000) : 4090-4092.
     
     S. M. Godzina, M. A. Lovato, M. M. Meyer, K. A. Foster, W. K. Wilson, W. Gu, E. L. de Hostos, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Cloning and characterization of the Dictyostelium discoideum cycloartenol synthase cDNA." Lipids, 36 (2000) : 249-255.
     
     E. A. Hart, L. Hua, L. B. Darr, W. K. Wilson, J. Pang, and S. P. T. Matsuda "Directed evolution to investigate steric control of enzymatic oxidosqualene cyclization. An isoleucine to valine mutation in cycloartenol synthase allows lanosterol and parkeol biosynthesis." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 121 (1999) : 9887-9888.
     
     E. Roessler, L. Mitaz, Y.Z. Du, H. S. Scott, J. Chang, C. Rossier, M. Guipponi, S. P. T. Matsuda, M. Muenke, S. E. Antonarakis "Structure of the human lanosterol synthase gene and its analysis as a candidate for holoprosencephaly (HPE1)." Human Genetics, 105 (1999) : 489-495.
     
     L. B. Darr, S. M. Godzina, and S. P. T. Matsuda "A rice cDNA (AF169966) similar to cycloartenol synthase." Plant Physiol., 121 (1999) : 686.
     
     L. Hua and S. P. T. Matsuda "The molecular cloning of 8-epicedrol synthase from Artemisia annua." Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 369 (1999) : 208-212.
     
     J.B.R. Herrera, B. Bartel, W.K. Wilson, and S.P.T. Matsuda "Cloning and characterization of the Arabidopsis thaliana lupeol synthase gene." Phytochemistry, 49 (1998) : 1905-1911.
     
    Presentations
     Invited Talks
     "DNA-based approaches to Natural Products Chemistry." Baylor University Department of Chemistry, Waco, TX. (October 24, 2008)
     
     "Robert A. Welch Lecture: On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, TX. (February 8, 2008)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." 13th European Congress on Biotechnology, Barcelona, Spain. (September 17, 2007)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. (April 4, 2007)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL. (March 26, 2007)
     
     "Natural and Artificial Approaches to Develop New Triterpene Synthases." Society for Industrial Microorganisms Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland. (August 1, 2006)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Natural Products Gordon Conference, Tilton, New Hampshire. (July 26, 2006)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." 2nd Annual Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering Symposium, Rice University, Houston, Texas. (July 13, 2006)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Terpnet, Wagenigen, Netherlands. (April 7, 2005)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Encuentro de la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Fitoquimica, Montevideo, Uruguay. (December 1, 2005)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. (November 3, 2005)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. (October 21, 2005)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. (October 17, 2005)
     
     "On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." University of California, Davis, Davis, California. (October 7, 2005)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida. (January 29, 2004)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. (February 10, 2004)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Facultad de Quimica, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay. (June 4, 2004)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." XXVI Latin American Chemistry Congress and 27th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Society, Salvador, Brazil. (June 1, 2004)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Society for Industrial Microorganisms, Anaheim, California. (July 25, 2004)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Terpnet, Lexington, KY. (May 15, 2003)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Duke University, Durham, NC. (February 28, 2003)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Matt Suffness Lecture, 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, Chapel Hill, NC. (July 16, 2003)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Ceres, Inc., Malibu, CA. (September 25, 2003)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." University of California, Irvine/Pfizer Symposium, Irvine, CA. (September 24, 2003)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Enzyme Engineering Conference XVII, Santa Fe, NM. (November 13, 2003)
     
     "Metabolic Engineering to Produce Sterols and Terpenes." Rice University Chemistry Department Liaison Event, Rice University. (May 8, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Mona Symposium, Kingston, Jamaica. (Jaunary 8, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Biocatalysis Gordon Conference, Meriden, NH. (July 7, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. (April 19)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Gordon Research Conference on Marine Natural Products Chemistry, Ventura, CA. (February 25, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." MD Anderson. (May 9, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA. (May 16, 2002)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Tufts University, Medford, MA. (February 19, 2002)
     
     Lectures
     "Robert A. Welch Lecture: On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." Texas A&M University at Kingsville, Kingsville, TX. (October 17, 2007)
     
     "Robert A. Welch Lecture: On the Origins of Triterpenoid Skeletal Diversity." University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, TX. (October 18, 2007)
     
     Other
     "Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Host Organism for Monoterpene Production." Noble Foundation, Ardmore OK. (October 3, 2002) With Renee LeClair and Ran Xu)
     
     ""Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis"." Department of Chemistry, University of Texas, Austin, TX. (September 28, 2001)
     
     ""Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis"." Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, UTMB Galveston, Galveston, Texas. (December 13, 2001)
     
     "Experimenting with Food." Bethel College, N. Newton, KS. (February 23, 2001)
     
     "Plant Natural Products and Genetic Engineering." Alumni College, Rice University. (March 23, 2001)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Phytochemical Society of North America, 2001 Meeting, Oklahoma City, OK. (August 7, 2001)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ. (April 11, 2001)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. (April 25, 2001)
     
     "Tinkering with Terpene Biosynthesis." University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, IL. (February 14, 2001)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." Pfizer, Inc., Groton, CT. (March 23, 2000)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." Rice University, Houston, TX. (October 11, 2000)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." NSF Physical Organic Workshop, Warner Springs, CA. (June 25, 2000)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." Symposium on Biosynthesis of Natural Products, Pacifichem, Honolulu, HI. (December 16, 2000)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." Leopoldina Symposium, Halle, Germany. (November 4, 2000)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Generate Triterpene Structural Diversity." Texas A & M Universtiy Department of Chemistry. (February 10, 2000)
     
     "Taking Control of Terpene Biosynthesis." Karlsruhe Universitat, Karlsruhe, Germany. (December 2, 2000)
     
     "Cloning and Characterization of Dictyostelium discoideum Cycloartenol Synthase." 90th American Oil Chemists Society Annual Meeting and Expo, Orlando, Fla. (May 11, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Investigate Structure-Function Relationships in Oxidosqualene Cyclases." University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Chemistry, Chicago, IL. (May 25, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Investigate Structure-Function Relationships in Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Universita? Degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy. (October 22, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Investigate Structure-Function Relationships in Oxidosqualene Cyclases." University of Wurzburg Department of Botany, Wurzburg, Germany. (October 20, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Investigate Structure-Function Relationships in Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Leibniz Institut fur Pflanzenbiochemie, Halle, Germany. (October 18, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Approaches to Investigate Structure-Function Relationships in Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Secondary Metabolites: Biology and Chemistry 2000, Munchen, Germany. (October 15, 1999)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Mutagenesis Studies to Investigate Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Invited Speaker, Program in Chemical Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. (May 6, 1998)
     
     "Natural and Induced Evolution of Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Invited Speaker, Natural Products Gordon Conference, Henniker, New Hampshire. (July 6, 1998)
     
     "Natural and Induced Evolution of Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Invited Speaker, The 39th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Pharmocognosy, Orlando, Florida. (July 22, 1998)
     
     "Natural and Induced Evolution of Triterpene Synthases." Invited Speaker, Department of Chemistry, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland. (May 29, 1998)
     
     "Natural and Induced Evolution of Triterpene Synthases." Invited Speaker, Department of Microbiology, University of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany. (May 27, 1998)
     
     "Triterpene Synthases." Invited Speaker, Biochemical Principles and Mechanisms of Biosynthesis and Biodegradation of Polymers, Munster, Germany. (June 6, 1998)
     
     Posters
     "Characterization of Several Classes of Lanosterol Synthases: Differing Catalytic Motifs Result in Altered Sterol Production." The Phytochemical Society of North America, Merida, Mexico. (July 21 2002) With Renee J. LeClair, Bridget M. Joubert, Michael J. R. Segura, and William K. Willson)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Structure-Function Studies of Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Society for Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (August, 2002) With Michael J. R. Segura)
     
     "Directed Evolution and Structure-Function Studies of Oxidosqualene Cyclases." Biocatalysis Gordon Research Conference, Meriden, New Hampshire. (July 7-11, 2002) With Michael J. R. Segura)
     
     "Metabolic Engineering to Produce Meiosis-Activating Sterols." Rice University Chemistry Department Liaison Event, Rice University. (May 8, 2002) With Ran Xu, William K. Wilson)
     
     "Metabolic Engineering to Produce Sesquiterpenes." American Oil Chemists Society, Montreal. (May 8, 2002) With Beth E. Jackson, Elizabeth A. Hart)
     
     "Production of Meiosis Activating Sterols from Metabolically Engineered Yeast." The Society for Industrial Microbiology 2002 Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (Aug. 12, 2002) With Ran Xu and William K. Wilson)
     
    Supervised Theses & Dissertations
     Bridget M. Joubert, Doctoral Key Enzymes in Parasite Sterol Metabolism. (2002) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Ran Xu, Ph.D. Molecular Biological Approaches to Biomedical Problems in Sterol and Terpene Biosynthesis. (2002) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Ph.D. Directed Evolution and Structure-Function Studies in Oxidosqualene Cyclase. (2002) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Ran Xu, Ph.D. Molecular Biological Approaches to Biomedical Problems in Sterol and Terpene Biosynthesis. (2002) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Ph.D. Directed Evolution and Structure-Function Studies in Oxidosqualene Cyclases. (2003) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Miguel L. Teodoro, Ph.D. Modeling Protein Flexibility Using Collective Modes of Motion: Applications to Drug Design. (2003) (Committee Member)

     John Bruning, Ph.D. Structural and Thermodynamic Analysis of Human PCNA Bound to Peptides Derived from DNA Polymerase-delta p66-Subunit and Flap Endonuclease-1 (FEN1) Proteins. (2004) (Committee Member)

     Beth E. Jackson, Ph.D. Yeast as a Host for Sesquiterpene Production. (2004) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Erin O'Neil-Cabello, Ph.D. Methodological Developments for Measuring Residual Dipolar Couplings and 31P Chemical Shift Anisotropy Including Structural Applications, Using Ribosomal Helix-35psi746 as a Model Molecule. (2004) (Committee Member)

     Renee LcClair, Ph.D. Elucidating the Mechanism of Triterpene Cyclization Using DNA Synthesis and Phylogenetic Approaches. (2005) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Andrew M. Lee, Ph.S. Ligand-Binding Specificity of the RecA Nucleoprotein Filament: Homologous DNA, Metal Ions, and Nucleotides. (2005) (Committee Member)

     Aaron Martinez, Ph.D. Research Toward the Total Synthesis of Lactonamycin and Related Type II Polyketides. (2006) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Gia Fazio, Ph.D. Unveiling Relationships among Triterpene Synthases in Higher Plants through Enhanced Heterologous Expression in Yeast. (2006) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Silvia Lodeiro, Ph.D. Mutagenesis of Cycloartenol Synthase and Lanosterol Synthase: Broadening and Narrowing Product Profile. (2006) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Mariya Kolesnikova, Ph.D. Investigation of the Triterpene Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. (2008) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

     Carrie McNeil, Ph.D. Metabolic engineering approaches to biosynthesize terpenoids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (2008) (Thesis or Dissertation Director)

    Awards, Prizes, & Fellowships
     George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching, Rice University (May 2007)

     Matt Suffness Award, American Society of Pharmacognosy (2003)

     Member, American Society of Pharmacognosy,

     Ad hoc Grant Reviewer, National Science Foundation,

     Ad hoc Reviewer, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemistry and Biology, Phytochemistry, Journal of Organic Chemistry, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Canadian Journal of Chemistry, Jou,

     Ad hoc Grant Reviewer, United States Department of Agriculture,

     Member, American Associatio for the Advancement of Science,

     Member, American Chemical Society,

     Member, NIH Bio-Organic and Natural Products Chemistry Study Section (2000-2004),

     Member, American Chemical Society

     Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science

     Member, NIH Bio-Organic and Natural Products Chemistry Study Section (2000-2004)

     Member, American Society of Pharmacognosy

     Member, American Chemical Society

     Ad hoc reviewer, J. Org. Chem., Chem. and Biol., Can. J. Chem., J. Chem. Ed

     Ad hoc Study Section Member, NIH Bioorganic & Natural Products Study Section (February, 1999)

     Ad hoc reviewer, Acta Biochem. Biophys

     Member, American Society of Pharmacognosy

     Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science

     Ad hoc reviewer, Phytochemistry

     Ad hoc reviewer, J. Am. Chem. Soc