This research is concerned with the basic principles that determine the engineering properties of immobilized enzyme and cell biocatalysts and immobilized-protein affinity adsorbents. Attention will also be focused on thermophilic microorganisms and heat-stable enzymes. Of central importance of these research areas is the development of new methodologies suitable for analyzing proteins and whole cells in complex environments of biotechnological interest. Fundamental studies of extremely thermophilic organisms and their enzymes are also in progress. Finally, research in affinity chromatography, an extremely powerful method for purifying biological macromolecules, is also underway. The goal is to identify factors that govern the efficiency of affinity separations through measurements of key paremeter, molecular-level characterization of immobilized species and mathematical modeling.
