Enzymes provide the perfect catalyst platform for creating molecules in a selective fashion. We look to introduce  pathways towards creating chiral feedstock monomers and controlling polymerizations catalytically.

Post-polymerization modification is a popular approach for “peppering in” functionality to a material; however, selective strategies are rare due to the inherent complexity and disperse nature of synthetic materials. We seek approaches for enzymatically recognizing synthetic macromolecules both in-situ and in-vivo.

Synthetic plastics have transformed our world, both by providing robust materials that allow the human population to sustain itself, but also as persistent pollutants in our environment. Ambient strategies for controlling the deconstruction of these materials is paramount for their sustained use and require selective catalytic strategies that function in aqueous environments.