Chemist Ivana Drienovská of VU Amsterdam has received prestigious Vidi funding from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
Ivana has received funding for her innovative research "Greening Our World: Unlocking Enzymatic Solutions to the Fluorination Reaction."
The grant will allow Drienovská to develop an innovative line of research over the next five years and establish a research group focused on sustainable chemistry. Her research is of great importance because enzymes have enormous potential to produce chemicals in a more environmentally friendly way. Fluorination is a highly sought-after chemical reaction, as more than 20% of all pharmaceuticals require it for their synthesis.
Unfortunately, the ideal enzyme for this particular reaction is often not present in nature. Drienovská will investigate different artificial enzymes to find an efficient enzyme catalyst for the challenging fluorination reaction. With her work, she hopes to contribute to more sustainable chemical processes, which is crucial in the fight against environmental pollution and climate change. This Vidi funding provides her with the means to take important steps in developing innovative enzymatic solutions and making the chemical industry more sustainable.