Dr. David Schnettler Fernández

Enzymes are awesome! My scientific interests are centred around how proteins evolve to acquire new functions and how this process can be steered to discover new biocatalysts. 

My current research project aims at bridging the gap between prebiotic catalysts and the modern protein world. I am fascinated by the intricacy of the enzymes involved in the most fundamental processes of life. How did they possibly emerge, function, and evolve before reaching their modern complexity? I address these questions using tools from protein engineering, such as protein design and high-throughput screening.