Centre for Biodiscovery
Research at the interface of Chemistry and Biology
This interdisciplinary research centre brings together researchers from the School of Biological Sciences, the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, the Ferrier research Institute and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.
Our major strengths are natural products and synthetic chemistry, associated mechanism of action studies, vaccine design, protein engineering and directed evolution, synthetic biology, and Mātauranga Māori guided biodiscovery.
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Research spotlight
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Accessing new bioactives using synthetic biology
Many organisms, including plants and microbes, make unique arsenals of bioactive compounds that can be used for industrial and pharmaceutical application.
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Mātauranga Māori guided biodiscovery
Phytophthora (from the Greek for “plant destroyers”) are microscopic organisms that cause root rot and dieback diseases in thousands of plant species.
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Natural products
Nature is a treasure trove of new and varied chemistry that allows scientists to treat diseases and understand how life works at the molecular level.
Our research in action
Kiwi-made Covid-19 booster vaccine offers 100% protection in preclinical study
A preclinical study evaluating a Kiwi-made Covid-19 vaccine showed that it was safe and highly effective, making it a promising booster vaccine candidate.