Graduate Student

Department of Chemical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room: 66-425
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139 USA

Phone: (617) 258-8037
E-mail: collin@mit.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Education
B.S. Chemical Engineering
University of Oklahoma, 2004

Research Description
My interest is in the biological synthesis of functionalized, stereoactive molecules.  Where there’s an enzyme, there’s a way; why not take advantage of the plethora of enzymes that nature has to offer?  Enzymes are especially convenient for the synthesis of highly specific and complex molecular structures.  My goal is to build these complex structures through the use of engineered microbes.

I am specifically interested in a class of structures called hydroxyacids.  Hydroxyacids are typically chiral and contain hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups, both of which can easily be derivatized.  The ease at which these compounds can be modified means that while hydroxyacids are highly useful as synthetic building blocks, they are not easily synthesized themselves through chemical means.  In addition to seeing use as chiral synthons, hydroxyacids themselves find application in many fields ranging from medicine to the production of biodegradable polyester plastics.

My research centers on engineering microbes to make high titers of hydroxyacids and other complex molecular structures from inexpensive and renewable feedstocks.  The ultimate goal of such research is to create feasible and productive bioprocesses that bring to market new commodity chemicals and novel synthetic structures.