Dr. Matias Kinzurik
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Synthetic Biology
- Metabolomics
- Microbiology
- Industrial Biotechnology
- Yeast Genetics
- Analytical Chemistry
BACKGROUND
- 2017 – PhD in Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
- 2012 – MSc in Chemistry, Rice University, USA
- 2009 – BSc (Honours) in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS
New Zealand’s geographical isolation has produced rather unique flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world. This presents a great opportunity for the discovery of secondary metabolites with potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications within these native species.
My research focuses on the genome mining of unique New Zealand fungi for genetic clusters responsible for the production of pigments, with the objective of exploring their use as natural substitutes of food colouring dyes.
Once these compounds are identified, I turn my focus to their heterologous production in baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), through metabolic engineering strategies that will allow for commercially viable yields.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Matias I. Kinzurik, Kien Ly, Karine M. David, Richard C. Gardner, and Bruno Fedrizzi. The GLO1 Gene is Required for Full Activity of O-Acetyl Homoserine Sulfhydrylase encoded by MET17. ACS Chemical Biology, 2017, 12, 2, 414-421. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00815
Matias I. Kinzurik, Mandy Herbst-Johnstone, Richard C. Gardner, and Bruno Fedrizzi. Hydrogen Sulfide Production during Yeast Fermentation causes the Accumulation of Ethanethiol, S-Ethyl Thioacetate and Diethyl Disulfide. Food Chemistry, 2016, 209, 341-347. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.04.094
Matias I. Kinzurik, Mandy Herbst-Johnstone, Richard C. Gardner, and Bruno Fedrizzi. Evolution of Volatile Sulfur Compounds during Wine Fermentation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (ACS), 2015, 63, 36, 8017-8024. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b02984
Matias I. Kinzurik, Lachezar V. Hristov, Seiichi P. T. Matsuda, and Zachary T. Ball. Mixed Bioengineering–Chemical Synthesis Approach for the Efficient Preparation of Δ7-Dafachronic Acid. Organic Letters (ACS), 2014, 16, 8, 2188-2191. doi: 10.1021/ol5006642