معرفی
Luet Wong is a Professor of Chemistry in the Chemistry department at the University of Oxford, specializing in the Inorganic Chemistry section. He has been a faculty member at Oxford since 1991, starting as a University Lectureship, and was promoted to Professor in 2019. Additionally, he leads a research team at the Oxford University Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research in Suzhou, China, and founded Oxford Biotrans in 2013 to commercialize biocatalytic processes for fine chemical production.
His educational background includes:
- BA in Chemistry (1984) from Oxford
- DPhil in Chemistry (1987) from Oxford
Professor Wong's research centers on redox enzymes, particularly cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, for green and sustainable synthesis applications. His group engineers P450 enzymes for selective carbon-hydrogen bond oxidation, with key projects including late-stage C–H activation in drug synthesis, synthetic biology for aroma/flavor production (e.g., valencene to nootkatone), and oxidative diversification of pharmaceutical intermediates. His work bridges fundamental enzyme kinetics with industrial biocatalysis.
His notable scientific awards include:
- Guy-Newton Junior Research Fellow
- SERC-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship
Professor Wong advises graduate students through his Oxford research group and founded Oxford Biotrans to translate academic research into commercial applications for agrochemical and pharmaceutical intermediates. His sustained funding from prestigious fellowships supports both fundamental enzyme engineering and applied biotechnology initiatives.
His laboratory maintains active research operations at Oxford and the Suzhou Centre, focusing on evolved enzymes for selective C–H oxidation to enable sustainable production of high-value natural product derivatives and synthetic intermediates.
