Could we make better live vaccines by teaching cells to perform new chemistry?

Programming bacteria to synthesize and utilize non-standard chemistry enables novel application spaces. Here in the Kunjapur Lab, we have engineered bacteria to synthesize and program immunogenic residues into antigens for enhanced vaccination platforms.

The Kunjapur Lab at the University of Delaware aims to teach microbes to create and harness chemistries that are uncommon in nature. We do this to impart macromolecules with new properties and to safely use microbes in new contexts. We use synthetic biology concepts and biomolecular engineering techniques to expand the repertoire of microbial chemistry for applications in sustainability and healthcare.