Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2003

Santiago-Vazquez Lory Z, Boca Raton FL

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY2003. The goal of the fellowship is to increase the participation of minority scientists at the postdoctoral level and to prepare them for positions of scientific leadership in academia and industry. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training and research of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. It is expected that Fellows supported through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce. The research and training plan is entitled "Recombinant source of the first marine-derived diterpene cyclase for pseudopterosin biosynthesis." This research is developing a recombinant source of elisabethatriene synthase, a diterpene cyclase enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the antiinflammatory compounds called pseudopterosins. The principles elucidated in the research will provide the groundwork for the production of other enzymes involved in this biosynthetic pathway and for the cloning of other marine-derived terpene cyclases.