Abstract: Natural products arise from enzymes that perform remarkable chemical transformations with exquisite selectivity. Our laboratory seeks both to uncover these transformations in biological pathways and to reprogram their underlying catalytic logic for synthetic applications. 

In this seminar, I will describe our efforts in elucidating the biosynthetic pathway of structurally complex natural products, including terpenoids and izidine-type alkaloids. These studies illustrate how pathway organization, enzyme stereoselectivity and protective modifications work together to control molecular structure and biological function. 

I will also discuss our efforts to repurpose enzymes as programmable biocatalysts. By combining mechanistic insight with protein engineering, we have expanded the native reactivity of these enzymes to enable stereoselective bond formation and the construction of valuable cyclic scaffolds. Together, this work demonstrates how deciphering nature’s catalytic solutions can uncover new biochemical principles while providing a foundation for developing selective and sustainable synthetic methods.

Bio: Dr. Yang Hai received his B.S. in chemistry from Peking University in 2011 and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 under the guidance of David W. Christianson. His doctoral research focused on the structure-function relationships of metallohydrolases, primarily using protein X-ray crystallography. From 2016 to 2020, he conducted postdoctoral research with Yi Tang at UCLA, where he studied fungal natural product biosynthesis and discovered new enzymes and metabolic pathways through genome mining. In 2020, Hai began his independent career at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research group investigates the biosynthesis of natural products and reprograms enzymes for applications in biocatalysis. His honors include an NIH MIRA grant, an NSF CAREER Award and an ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award.