Objective
Enzyme catalysis is a key technology at the heart of industrial biotechnology, expected to drive economic growth and industrial leadership in the EU, while addressing social, environmental, and economic needs. Despite its growing impact, the full potential of this technology has yet to be realised. TROF-EM aims to bridge the gap between the potential of enzyme catalysis and its application in the sustainable synthesis of pharmaceuticals for Rieske oxygenases (ROs). These enzymes perform highly selective C–H functionalisations through a multi-step electron transfer (ET) cascade, ultimately enabling the formation of reactive intermediates that drive diverse oxidative transformations. Despite their promise, industrial use is limited by poor catalytic efficiency and incomplete understanding of ET mechanisms and protein–protein interactions (PPIs). TROF-EM will address these challenges by integrating enzyme discovery, structural biology, computational modelling, machine learning (ML), protein engineering, and biochemical analysis to decipher how ET and PPIs govern RO activity and selectivity, thereby producing a first-in-class RO biocatalyst tailored for industrial application. To achieve this, TROF-EM pursues three objectives: (i) investigate how molecular recognition, active-site architecture, and PPIs affect ET efficiency and catalysis; (ii) apply ML-guided mutagenesis to generate RO variants with improved efficiency and reduced uncoupling; and (iii) develop a self-sufficient fused RO with enhanced catalytic performance. TROF-EM will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, supported by leading experts in biocatalysis, structural biology, and computational chemistry, to generate insights into ET in multi-component enzymes and deliver novel biocatalysts for efficient late-stage functionalisation of complex drug scaffolds, offering greener, cost-effective alternatives to conventional chemical synthesis and accelerating drug discovery.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9712CP Groningen
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.