The Chemistry of Biological Processes Laboratory develops research at the interface of chemistry and biology. More specifically, it studies complex enzymatic systems involved in metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, such as RNA modification or ubiquinone biosynthesis, and characterizes their structure and mechanisms. He is also interested in certain metalloenzymes of bioenergetic metabolism, such as hydrogenases, which catalyze the reduction of water to hydrogen with remarkable efficiency, and are considered potential biocatalysts for use in electrochemical energy storage devices (bioelectrodes for electrolyzers and fuel cells). Finally, issues of catalysis for energy storage are addressed by multiple approaches in synthetic chemistry, electrochemistry and photochemistry, combining bioinspired molecular chemistry, artificial enzymology, solid state chemistry and hybrid chemistry (combining molecular components with organic-inorganic solids). New catalysts are developed for the oxidation of water (catalysts for the anode of electrolyzers), the reduction (catalysts for the cathode of electrolyzers) of protons to hydrogen and of carbon dioxide to organic compounds of economic interest, notably hydrocarbons such as ethylene or alcohols such as ethanol.
The unit comprises two doctoral school host teams :
- Chemistry of Biological Processes
Head : Marc Fontecave
Attached to the Molecular Chemistry Paris Centre doctoral school of Sorbonne University
- Molecular and Structural Enzymology
Béatrice Golinelli
Attached to Sorbonne Université's Complexity of Life doctoral school (ED 515)
Legend for illustration above : the unit's research projects are in the fields of molecular, inorganic (coordination and organometallic chemistry) and biological (protein chemistry) chemistry. Photo credit : Damien Jouvenot.
