Prof. Michael Jewett, a bioengineering and chemical engineering professor at Stanford University, is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative known as ReForm, which aims to combat climate change by converting carbon waste into acetyl-CoA, a vital biological building block. This innovative project emphasizes a sustainable approach to addressing environmental challenges while advancing human health.
The ReForm project represents a significant evolution in the way scientists approach carbon utilization. According to Ashty Karim, a co-developer and professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, nature has developed methods to fix carbon, primarily producing biomass. The goal of ReForm is to enhance this natural process to create more valuable substrates by employing engineered biological enzymes, thereby reducing reliance on less useful biological products.
Jewett and Karim describe ReForm as a sophisticated system where one natural and five engineered enzymes work together to convert formate derived from carbon dioxide into acetyl-CoA. This endeavor builds upon existing knowledge of the transformation from carbon dioxide to formate, allowing the researchers to create a more efficient pathway for carbon conversion. As Jewett explains, this scientific advancement represents a new paradigm in synthetic metabolism, pushing the boundaries of current understanding and application.
To achieve their objectives, the researchers are currently focused on enhancing the economic viability of ReForm. They are working to significantly improve the space-time yield, which would exponentially increase the production of acetyl-CoA. By utilizing stabilized enzymes that operate at higher speeds, they aim to streamline the overall process, thus making it more efficient and cost-effective.
The Jewett Lab’s expertise in addressing complex biological challenges, such as antibiotic resistance and water contamination, positions them well to tackle the pressing issue of carbon pollution. Brenda Wang, a former researcher in the Jewett Lab, highlights the lab’s innovative use of a cell-free system, which utilizes non-living cells to simplify structural barriers and reduce system complexity. This approach enables scientists to explore metabolic processes more freely, paving the way for diverse applications across various projects.
The lab’s commitment to addressing antibiotic resistance is particularly urgent, with predictions that it could rival cancer as a global health threat in the next 50 years. The team is actively working on developing conjugate vaccines that feature a “bacteria fingerprint” to train the immune system to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens. As Karim notes, this research illustrates how biological processes can be successfully integrated with electrochemistry and other technologies, leveraging the strengths of each field.
Through initiatives like ReForm, the Jewett Lab is demonstrating how scientific innovation can lead to practical solutions for some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. The collaborative efforts between Jewett, Karim, and their teams reflect a shared commitment to advancing technology and promoting sustainability for the benefit of both people and the planet.
