John Royer Email & Phone Number

Lexington, Ma, Us

Have led projects resulting in generation of multiple commercial secondary metabolite strains. PI for for Microbia component of USDA DOE grant with Itaconix.

Wrote Microbia component of recently awarded Biomass Research and Development Grant (2009-04732) Development of Integrated Production of Polyitaconic Acid from Northeast Hardwood Biomass resulting in grant of over $1,500,000.Developed three commercial fungal metabolite production strains for major international generic drug companies.Cloned and modified fungal secondary metabolite gene clusters using BAC and cosmid vectors.Identified novel regulator genes that enhanced production of multiple secondary metabolites in multiple strains.Created strains of Yarrowia lipolytica with enhanced production of carotenoids.Developed process for breakage of Yarrowia lipolytica cells.Created in-house statin production strain with 100-fold yield improvement from wild type strain using combination of molecular and classical mutagenesis and selection techniques. Strain was recently purchased by generic drug maker.

Led development of novel fungal protein expression system, expressed multiple enzymes at greater than 10 grams per liter, strains currently used in production.

Developed and led project of novel fungal enzyme expression system.Oversaw a team of up to eight scientists and research assistants.Developed tools for molecular biology, oversaw assay, and laboratory fermentation development.Developed methodologies for repeated gene deletions resulting in removal of sesquiterpene toxin producing capability in host strain.Expressed four commercial enzymes at multigram per liter levels; one strain used commercially.

Recipient of NIH postdoctoral fellowship. Examined regulation of sporulation and amino acid synthesis in Neurospora crassa.

Developed transformation system for Dutch Elm fungus. Cloned gene for RNA binding protein using novel insertional mutagenesis technique.

Postdoctoral

Phd, Biology

Activities and Societies: M.S. "Conversion of lignocellulosic paper wastes to mycelial protein and hydrolytic enzymes using cellulolytic.

M.S

Ms, Phd, Science And Forestry; Environmental And Forest Biology

Ph.D

"Xylanase of Trichoderma longibrachiatum: production, purification and characterization" Co-principal investigator with Dr. JP Nakas.