Stephanopoulos:Production of biochemicals in E. coli

A major focus of the Stephanopoulos lab is development of E. coli-based biocatalysts. Target products include antioxidant carotenoids such as lycopene as well as amino acids such as tyrosine, which we are producing with an eye toward commodity-polymer applications.

To develop strains, we employ rational, model-based approaches as well as combinatoric ones, and have been enthusiastic adopters of the whole-cell stoichiometric models developed by Bernard Palsson and Costas Maranas.