
PhD (University of Queensland)
James Behrendorff is a synthetic biologist and senior lecturer in Microbial Biotechnology at QUT's Gardens Point campus.
James's research develops new ways to use enzymes and microorganisms to convert low-cost or waste resources into useful molecules like nutritional oils, pharmaceuticals, and bio-based plastics.
Specific research foci include:
- Biocatalysis with engineered enzymes and microbes
- Prototyping new metabolic pathways using cell-free protein synthesis
- Microbial engineering, particularly: redox cascades, secretion systems, membrane complex engineering, and organelle targeting
James is a chief investigator in the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology and QUT's Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy. He has experience engineering diverse biological systems and has worked in the biotechnology industry in the United States.