"Biological Tools from Hot Springs" Tom Schoenfeld of Lucingen September 27, 2012

Tom Schoenfeld

Tom Schoenfeld of Lucingen, a company that helps researchers with DNA cloning & sequencing, will speak on "Biological Tools from Hot Springs"

Thursday: September 27th 5:30 pm

Place: McCormick & Schmicks

Cost: $20. RSVP here. UNLV Students & Researchers - no cost (please RSVP)

Lucigen makes novel enzymes such as thermostable, bacteriophage DNA polymerase & other enzymes used for research, diagnostics, drug discovery and for producing bioethanol.

Tom Schoenfeld, VP of the biotech, Lucigen, is a bio-prospector of hot springs. Working with UNLV Associate Professor & microbial ecologist, Biran Hedlund, Schoenfeld hunts hot springs for "extremophiles" - bacteria, archae & viruses that live in extreme conditions and contain enzymes with special properties. The enzymes have potential applications with making biofuels, DNA, medical and forensic diagnostics.

Nevada has a high number of hot springs and could be sitting a gold mine of new enzymes.