During her PhD studies, Piera De Santis investigated enzyme immobilization and the in situ production of hydrogen peroxide to overcome the hurdles that still hinder unspecific peroxygenase (UPOs) practical application at the industrial level. Simultaneously, during her secondment at the University of Graz, her research studies focused on optimizing the modular photo-electron shuttling (MPS) system developed to regenerate nicotinamide cofactors.

The results obtained from both studies will improve the process stability and cost-effectivity of biocatalytic oxyfunctionalization, enhancing their application at the industrial scale and a further step into the revolutionary green chemistry approach.

The PhD degree was completed as part of a double degree (cotutelle) cooperation between Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University and University of Graz, Austria.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 24 March 2023 at 9.00
Place: Building 3130, room 303, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of dissertation: Photobiocatalytic oxyfunctionalization: Design and characterization of heterogenous cascades

Contact information: Piera De Santis, e-mail: p.desantis@bce.au.dk, tel.: +39 3381424922

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dirk Tischler, Department for Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany

Professor Dr. Eng. John Woodley, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark

Assistant-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Melanie Hall, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Austria

Associate Professor Dr. rer. nat. Clarissa Schwab, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus, Denmark (chair)

Main supervisor:
Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Selin Kara, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark

Co-supervisor:
Professor Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn. Wolfgang Kroutil, Department of Chemistry, University of Graz, Austria

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public. The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences (GSTS), Jens Baggesens Vej 53, bygning 5221, 8200 Aarhus N.