Dr Colin Scott

Dr Scott was born in 1975 in Scotland. He obtained a BSc (hon) in Genetics from the University of Wales (UK) in 1996 and a PhD in Molecular Microbiology from Sheffield University (UK) in 2000.

He moved to CSIRO Entomology in Canberra in 2004 as a post-doctoral fellow, and now leads the Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology Team in CSIRO Land & Water and the also the 'Foundation Technologies' Application Domain in CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform.

Dr Scott's team investigates, engineers and harnesses the biochemical and metabolic diversity found in nature.

Enzymes are nature's nanotechnology: nanoscale machines that carry out all of the chemical reactions needed for life to survive and prosper. Evolution has produced a countless number of these chemical reactions, and as the world continues to evolve, so do the enzymes, responding to the introduction of new molecules with new functions. We can harness these enzymes for applications such as biocatalysis (making chemicals) and bioremediation (cleaning up pollution).

We draw on the amazing versatility of natural enzymes to provide new solutions for a variety of applications. Our team isolates and studies enzymes at an atomic level to understand how they work, we re-engineer them to be suitable for particular applications, and we even use the power of evolution to help us adapt enzymes for use in biocatalysis and bioremediation.

Our research provides biocatalytic alternatives for industries decreasing their reliance on petrochemical feedstocks and increasing sustainability through reduction of waste, energy usage and production costs.

​The Bioctalysis & Synthetic Biology Team investigates:

• Enzymes and microbes that clean up pollution
• Whole-cell and cell-free biocatalysts for the production of proteins, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and plastics/polymers
• Biological sensors that detect small molecules, such as pollutants
• Automated methods for the design and assembly of new proteins and fermentation organisms

PhD projects and Partnering Opportunities are available in these areas - please contact Dr. Scott directly for more information: colin.scott@csiro.au