Baillie Redfern
M.Sc. Program
Previous Degree: B.Sc. Biopharmaceutical Science
2011 Cohort
I am working on Abies balsamea (balsam fir) that produces a diterpene alcohol which is industrially important in the production of fragrances and flavor components. Due to the complexity of this molecule and the limited access to the natural product from fir trees, I am investigating the enzymatic biosynthesis of this isoprenoid in microbial host systems, such as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additionally, I am investigating terpene synthases involved in the biosynthesis of pesudolaric acids in Pseudolarix amabilis (golden larch). This plant was selected for investigation because of its use in traditional Chinese medicine and pseudolaric acids have been shown to exhibit anti-cancer efficacy.
Supervisor: Joerg Bohlmann
