Catalysis and Chemical Engineering Global Conference

Catalysis plays the paramount role in not just industrial processes but also in life sciences, creating a possibility for the required biological processes sustaining life. Catalysis is mainly associated with biological catalysts, namely enzymes, that catalyze and control biochemical reactions in a living organism. This natural process affects almost every area of its application, from health care and medicine to environmental science and biotechnology, promising new solutions to critical challenges.

Probably one of the most important applications of catalysis in life sciences is the discovery of medicines and therapies. Enzymes help to synthesize desired molecules, such as APIs, through highly specific synthesis. A biological catalyst may take something simple to a molecule which is much more complex, such as a medication used to cure everything from diseases to flu. Another application of enzyme-based catalysis is in drug discovery. Enzyme-based catalysis is important and can quickly screen huge libraries of compounds to identify potential new drugs for diseases like cancer, diabetes, or infectious diseases.

Catalysis is also an integral part of medical diagnostics in life sciences. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, for example, relies on catalysis to ascertain the presence of specific proteins or antibodies in blood. Thus, such conditions of being infectious diseases, autoimmune, or any other are diagnosed early with such high specificity and sensitivity.

Beyond medicine, however, biological catalysts are increasingly being applied in sustainable practices in life sciences. For example, they could break down agricultural waste to produce biofuels and to reduce landfill waste. Others are also used in the production of biodegradable plastics, which are environment-friendly alternatives to plastics found in the market. Scientists are increasingly harnessing catalysis in life sciences to develop greener technologies to help solve some of today's most pressing environmental concerns.