Professor Gary Schenk
Professor

Gary Schenk

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54144

Background

I obtained a Diploma in Chemistry from the University of Bern in Switzerland in 1992. Upon receiving the award of an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) I joined The University of Queensland (UQ) in 1993 to carry out research towards a PhD in Biochemistry(supervisors: Assoc. Profs. Peter Nixon and Ron Duggleby). I graduated in 1997 and continued postdoctoral research at UQ under the guidance of Profs John de Jersey, Susan Hamilton and Graeme Hanson. During this period, I was awarded Fellowships from both the Wellcome Trust and UQ. In 2000 I spent several months in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, collaborating with Prof. Geoff Sykes, and later that year I commenced a Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Chemistry Department at Stanford University (advisor: Prof. Edward Solomon). In 2003 I was appointed to a Lectureship in (Bio)Physical Chemistry at UQ. In 2006 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Following the award of a UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award (in 2007) I was promoted to Associate Professor (in 2008), and between 2011 and 2013 I was also on a fractional professorial appointment (50%) at Maynooth University, Ireland. From 2013 to 2017 I held a Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council, and during this period I was promoted to Full Professor at UQ (2015). I also hold affiliate professorships in the Sustainable Minerals Institute and the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, both located at UQ.

I have successfully focused my research on the investigation of enzyme-catalysed reactions, their optimisation for applications in biotechnology and the synthesis of small molecules that mimic their structure and catalytic function (i.e. biomimetics). I advanced understanding of the contribution of metals to enzyme-catalysed reactions and employed state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. cryo-EM, ancestral gene reconstruction) to develop enzyme inhibitors as leads for novel biocides (herbicides, fungicides, antibacterial compounds) and engineer enzymes with enhanced catalytic properties for industrial applications in the advanced manufacturing sector (i.e. cell-free enzyme cascades, next-gen fertilisers). My work into enzyme mechanisms, regulation and engineering received international acclaim evidenced by invitations to provide plenary and keynote lectures and review articles in prestigious journals. I have published over 250 peer-reviewed articles, including over 40 papers in the ACS staple (J. Am. Chem. Soc, ACS Catalysis, ACS Sus. Chem. Eng., Inorg. Chem, Chem. Rev., Acc. Chem. Rev.) as well as landmark studies in Nature, Nature Catalysis, Nature Communications and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA). For my leadership in enzymology I was awarded a Future Fellowship by the Australian Research Council, a Foundation Research Excellence Award by UQ and, most recently, the prestigious role as Ambassador for the Technical University of Munich (TUM), an honour bestowed upon me also for my leading role in building an extensive network of collaborations between UQ and TUM in the areas of bioengineering and bioeconomy. The network has since evolved into the Global Bioeconomy Alliance.

Availability

Professor Gary Schenk is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Chemical Sciences Engineering Inorganic chemistry Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry Reaction engineering (excl. nuclear reactions)

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Application of enzyme-driven processes in the bioeconomy

    I am interested in discovering and engineering enzymes for applications in biomanufacturing and bioremediation

Search Professor Gary Schenk’s works on UQ eSpace

269 works between 1996 and 2025
All (269) Journal Article (225) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (32) Book (1) Other Outputs (6)

61 - 80 of 269 works

2020

Journal Article

Enabling the direct enzymatic dehydration of d-Glycerate to pyruvate as the key step in synthetic enzyme cascades used in the cell-free production of fine chemicals

Sutiono, Samuel, Teshima, Mariko, Beer, Barbara, Schenk, Gerhard and Sieber, Volker (2020). Enabling the direct enzymatic dehydration of d-Glycerate to pyruvate as the key step in synthetic enzyme cascades used in the cell-free production of fine chemicals. ACS Catalysis, 10 (5), 3110-3118. doi: 10.1021/acscatal.9b05068

Enabling the direct enzymatic dehydration of d-Glycerate to pyruvate as the key step in synthetic enzyme cascades used in the cell-free production of fine chemicals

2020

Journal Article

Effect of chemically distinct substrates on the mechanism and reactivity of a highly promiscuous metallohydrolase

Sharma, Gaurav, Jayasinghe-Arachchige, Vindi M., Hu, Qiaoyu, Schenk, Gerhard and Prabhakar, Rajeev (2020). Effect of chemically distinct substrates on the mechanism and reactivity of a highly promiscuous metallohydrolase. ACS Catalysis, 10 (6), 3684-3696. doi: 10.1021/acscatal.9b04847

Effect of chemically distinct substrates on the mechanism and reactivity of a highly promiscuous metallohydrolase

2020

Journal Article

Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops

Feder, Daniel, McGeary, Ross P., Mitić, Natasa, Lonhienne, Thierry, Furtado, Agnelo, Schulz, Benjamin L., Henry, Robert J., Schmidt, Susanne, Guddat, Luke W. and Schenk, Gerhard (2020). Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops. Plant Science, 294 110445, 110445. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110445

Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops

2020

Journal Article

Polynuclear zinc(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazone: synthesis, X-ray structure and biological evaluation

Saswati, Mohanty, Monalisa, Banerjee, Atanu, Biswal, Sonaleen, Horn, Adolfo, Schenk, Gerhard, Brzezinski, Krzysztof, Sinn, Ekkehard, Reuter, Hans and Dinda, Rupam (2020). Polynuclear zinc(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazone: synthesis, X-ray structure and biological evaluation. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 203 110908, 110908. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2019.110908

Polynuclear zinc(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazone: synthesis, X-ray structure and biological evaluation

2020

Journal Article

Engineering proton conductivity in melanin using metal doping

Mostert, A. Bernardus, Rienecker, Shermiyah B., Sheliakina, Margarita, Zierep, Paul, Hanson, Graeme R., Harmer, Jeffrey R., Schenk, Gerhard and Meredith, Paul (2020). Engineering proton conductivity in melanin using metal doping. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 8 (35), 8050-8060. doi: 10.1039/d0tb01390k

Engineering proton conductivity in melanin using metal doping

2020

Journal Article

Functional analysis of the Mn2+ requirement in the catalysis of ureohydrolases arginase and agmatinase - a historical perspective

Uribe, Elena, Reyes, María-Belen, Martínez, Ignacio, Mella, Kelly, Salas, Mónica, Tarifeño-Saldivia, Estefanía, López, Vasthi, García-Robles, María, Martínez-Oyanedel, José, Figueroa, Maximiliano, Carvajal, Nelson and Schenk, Gerhard (2020). Functional analysis of the Mn2+ requirement in the catalysis of ureohydrolases arginase and agmatinase - a historical perspective. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 202 110812, 110812. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2019.110812

Functional analysis of the Mn2+ requirement in the catalysis of ureohydrolases arginase and agmatinase - a historical perspective

2020

Journal Article

Synthesis, characterization and docking studies of amide ligands as anti-leishmanial agents

Imran, Muhammad, Javed, Tariq, Jabeen, Asma, Mehnaz, Gul, Ullah, Kalim, Shaheen, Nusrat, Khalid, Sofia, Amirzada, Muhammad Imran, Yameen, Muhammad Arafat, Hasan, S. M. Farid, Shah, Sajid Hussain, Rauf, Khalid, Schenk, Gary, McGeary, Ross, Pieters, Luc, Latif, Muhammad, Al-Kahraman, Yasser Msa and Hassan Bin Asad, Muhammad Hassham (2020). Synthesis, characterization and docking studies of amide ligands as anti-leishmanial agents. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 33 (1 Supplement), 385-392. doi: 10.36721/PJPS.2020.33.1.SUP.385-392.1

Synthesis, characterization and docking studies of amide ligands as anti-leishmanial agents

2019

Journal Article

Synthesis, evaluation and structural investigations of potent purple acid phosphatase inhibitors as drug leads for osteoporosis

Feder, Daniel, Kan, Meng-Wei, Hussein, Waleed M., Guddat, Luke W., Schenk, Gerhard and McGeary, Ross P. (2019). Synthesis, evaluation and structural investigations of potent purple acid phosphatase inhibitors as drug leads for osteoporosis. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 182 111611, 111611. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111611

Synthesis, evaluation and structural investigations of potent purple acid phosphatase inhibitors as drug leads for osteoporosis

2019

Journal Article

Editorial: Advances in the development of artificial metalloenzymes

Parac-Vogt, Tatjana N., Erxleben, Andrea, Schenk, Gerhard and Prabhakar, Rajeev (2019). Editorial: Advances in the development of artificial metalloenzymes. Frontiers in Chemistry, 7 599, 599. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00599

Editorial: Advances in the development of artificial metalloenzymes

2019

Other Outputs

Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops

Feder, Daniel, McGeary, Ross P., Mitić, Natasa, Lonhienne, Thierry, Furtado, Agnelo, Schulz, Benjamin L., Henry, Robert J., Schmidt, Susanne, Guddat, Luke W. and Schenk, Gerhard (2019). Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops. doi: 10.1101/749564

Structural elements that modulate the substrate specificity of plant purple acid phosphatases: avenues for improved phosphorus acquisition in crops

2019

Journal Article

Guanidine- and purine-functionalized ligands of FeIIIZnII complexes: effects on the hydrolysis of DNA

Pereira, Claudia, Farias, Giliandro, Maranha, Filipy G., Castilho, Nathalia, Schenk, Gerhard, de Souza, Bernardo, Terenzi, Hernán, Neves, Ademir and Peralta, Rosely A. (2019). Guanidine- and purine-functionalized ligands of FeIIIZnII complexes: effects on the hydrolysis of DNA. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 24 (5), 675-691. doi: 10.1007/s00775-019-01680-3

Guanidine- and purine-functionalized ligands of FeIIIZnII complexes: effects on the hydrolysis of DNA

2019

Journal Article

The binding mode of an ADP analogue to a metallohydrolase mimics the likely transition state

Feder, Daniel, Gahan, Lawrence R., McGeary, Ross P., Guddat, Luke W. and Schenk, Gerhard (2019). The binding mode of an ADP analogue to a metallohydrolase mimics the likely transition state. ChemBioChem, 20 (12), 1536-1540. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201900077

The binding mode of an ADP analogue to a metallohydrolase mimics the likely transition state

2019

Journal Article

Expansin assisted bio-affinity immobilization of endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis onto corncob residue: characterization and efficient production of xylooligosaccharides

Wu, Bin, Yu, Qi, Chang, Siyuan, Pedroso, Marcelo Monteiro, Gao, Zhen, He, Bingfang and Schenk, Gerhard (2019). Expansin assisted bio-affinity immobilization of endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis onto corncob residue: characterization and efficient production of xylooligosaccharides. Food Chemistry, 282, 101-108. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.01.004

Expansin assisted bio-affinity immobilization of endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis onto corncob residue: characterization and efficient production of xylooligosaccharides

2019

Journal Article

Proteomics reveals profound metabolic changes in the alcohol use disorder brain

Enculescu, Charmaine, Kerr, Edward D., Yeo, K. Y. Benjamin, Schenk, Gerhard, Fortes, Marina R. S. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2019). Proteomics reveals profound metabolic changes in the alcohol use disorder brain. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 10 (5), 2364-2373. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00660

Proteomics reveals profound metabolic changes in the alcohol use disorder brain

2019

Journal Article

Relative catalytic efficiencies and transcript levels of three D‐ and two L‐lactate dehydrogenases for optically pure D‐lactate production in Sporolactobacillus inulinus

Wu, Bin, Yu, Qi, Zheng, Shan, Pedroso, Marcelo Monteiro, Guddat, Luke W., He, Bingfang and Schenk, Gerhard (2019). Relative catalytic efficiencies and transcript levels of three D‐ and two L‐lactate dehydrogenases for optically pure D‐lactate production in Sporolactobacillus inulinus. MicrobiologyOpen, 8 (5) e00704, e00704. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.704

Relative catalytic efficiencies and transcript levels of three D‐ and two L‐lactate dehydrogenases for optically pure D‐lactate production in Sporolactobacillus inulinus

2019

Journal Article

Synthesis and evaluation of novel purple acid phosphatase inhibitors

Hussein, Waleed M., Feder, Daniel, Schenk, Gerhard, Guddat, Luke W. and McGeary, Ross P. (2019). Synthesis and evaluation of novel purple acid phosphatase inhibitors. MedChemComm, 10 (1), 61-71. doi: 10.1039/c8md00491a

Synthesis and evaluation of novel purple acid phosphatase inhibitors

2019

Book

Advances in the Development of Artificial Metalloenzymes

Parac-Vogt, Tatjana N., Erxleben, Andrea, Schenk, Gerhard and Prabhakar, Rajeev eds. (2019). Advances in the Development of Artificial Metalloenzymes. Frontiers Research Topics, Lausanne, Switzerland: Frontiers Research Foundation. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88963-153-7

Advances in the Development of Artificial Metalloenzymes

2019

Journal Article

Investigating coordination flexibility of glycerophosphodiesterase (GpdQ) through interactions with mono-, di-, and triphosphoester (NPP, BNPP, GPE, and paraoxon) substrates

Sharma, Gaurav, Hu, Qiaoyu, Jayasinghe-Arachchige, Vindi M., Paul, Thomas J., Schenk, Gerhard and Prabhakar, Rajeev (2019). Investigating coordination flexibility of glycerophosphodiesterase (GpdQ) through interactions with mono-, di-, and triphosphoester (NPP, BNPP, GPE, and paraoxon) substrates. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 21 (10), 5499-5509. doi: 10.1039/c8cp07031h

Investigating coordination flexibility of glycerophosphodiesterase (GpdQ) through interactions with mono-, di-, and triphosphoester (NPP, BNPP, GPE, and paraoxon) substrates

2018

Journal Article

A new mixed-valence Mn(II)Mn(III) compound with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities

Costal, Rafael O., Ferreira, Sarah S., Pereira, Crystiane A., Harmer, Jeffrey R., Noble, Christopher J., Schenk, Gerhard, Franco, Roberto W. A., Resende, Jackson A. L. C., Comba, Peter, Roberts, Asha E., Fernandes, Christiane and Horn Jr, Adolfo (2018). A new mixed-valence Mn(II)Mn(III) compound with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6 (NOV) 491, 491. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00491

A new mixed-valence Mn(II)Mn(III) compound with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities

2018

Journal Article

Engineering highly functional thermostable proteins using ancestral sequence reconstruction

Gumulya, Yosephin, Baek, Jong-Min, Wun, Shun-Jie, Thomson, Raine E. S., Harris, Kurt L., Hunter, Dominic J. B., Behrendorff, James B. Y. H., Kulig, Justyna, Zheng, Shan, Wu, Xueming, Wu, Bin, Stok, Jeanette E., De Voss, James J., Schenk, Gerhard, Jurva, Ulrik, Andersson, Shalini, Isin, Emre M., Bodén, Mikael, Guddat, Luke and Gillam, Elizabeth M. J. (2018). Engineering highly functional thermostable proteins using ancestral sequence reconstruction. Nature Catalysis, 1 (11), 878-888. doi: 10.1038/s41929-018-0159-5

Engineering highly functional thermostable proteins using ancestral sequence reconstruction

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Learning from the past to design drugs for the future
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Bio-based solutions for a sustainable agriculture
    Queensland-Germany Bioeconomy Collaborative Science Program
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Dual-function ribonucleases: unexpected agents of antibiotic resistance
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Cryo-EM inspired drug discovery to treat human fungal pathogenic infections
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Light-driven biocatalytic cell factories
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2024
    EnzOnomy - an enzyme-based production pipeline for the bioeconomy
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Better Catalysts
    CSIRO
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Biocatalytic nanomachines
    Technical University of Munich
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A versatile accurate mass, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer for chemistry and proteomic applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Imaging in the nano-scale age: terahertz and millimetre wave microanalysis
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Ketol-acid reductoisomerase: An important antituberculosis drug target
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Centre for Geoanalytical Mass Spectrometry (CGMS) - Achieving excellence in isotope geochemistry and geochronology
    UQ Research Facilities Infrastructure Grants
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Next-generation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) with laser-ablation capability for in situ high-throughput and high resolution isotope dating and characterizat
    UQ Major Research Facility Fund
    Open grant
  • 2015
    A sensitive, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer with nanoUPLC system for qualitative and quantitative biomolecule analysis.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    An integrated approach to combat antibiotic resistance
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Harnessing the potential of metals in biocatalysis (ARC Discovery Project administered by the Australian National University)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Extending frontiers of structural chemistry and biology through high resolution pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (ARC LIEF Grant administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2017
    Metals in Biocatalysis: a Powerful Combination for the Chemistry of Life
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Evolved enzymes and biomimetics for organophosphate degredation (ARC Discovery Project administered by the Australian National University)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Facilities for Integrated Bioinorganic and Materials Chemistry Research
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    National Magnetochemical Facility (ARC LIEF administered by Monash University)
    ARC LIEF Collaborating/Partner Organisation Contributions
    Open grant
  • 2010
    An integrated high -throughput fluorescence imaging facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Metallo-beta-lactamases: predicting and combating antibiotic resistance.
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Metallo-beta-lactamases: designing drug leads to combat antibiotic resistance
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Organophosphate pesticide degradation: evolved enzymes and biomimetics for bioremediation and medicine (ARC Discovery Project award administered by ANU)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Structure-based design of anti-osteoporotic drug leads: an integrated approach
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    A National Biomedical Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Molecular Imaging Centre (ARC LIEF Administered by Monash University)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    Isotope Effects as a Highly Sensitive Probe for the Study of Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2007
    XAS studies of the binuclear metalloenzyme purple acid phosphatase and their biomimetic models
    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2006
    Australian Synchrotron Research Program: Visit to Photon Factor Japan 27-29 October 2006 (3 days)
    Australian Synchrotron Research Program
    Open grant
  • 2006
    AUSTRALIAN SYNCHROTRON RESEARCH PROGRAM: Support for Access to the Australian National Beamline Facility, Photon Factory, Japan (12-14 May 2006)
    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    Directed evolution of enzymes for bioremediation: structure function studies of bimetalloenzymes
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2006
    XZS of FeIII-MeII binuclear complexes
    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    An Integrated Approach Towards Development of Highly Specific Chemotherapeutics
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Unusual Coordination Chemistry Of Phosphate In A Novel Binuclear Metal Centre
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    A unique coordination of phosphate in binuclear metal ion complexes
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Gary Schenk is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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