Carol M McCutchen

Title: Carol M McCutchen: Innovator in Biotechnology

Introduction

Carol M McCutchen is a prominent inventor based in Wilmington, DE (US). She has made significant contributions to the field of biotechnology, particularly in the area of microbial engineering. With a total of six patents to her name, her work has had a substantial impact on the utilization of xylose in various applications.

Latest Patents

One of her latest patents involves the engineering of Zymomonas strains with improved xylose utilization. This innovation introduces a chimeric xylose isomerase gene that contains a mutant promoter of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene. The promoter is designed to direct increased expression of xylose isomerase. When combined with the expression of xylulokinase, transaldolase, and transketolase, this engineering leads to enhanced utilization of xylose. Additionally, she has identified mutants of the promoter that improve expression levels of operably linked heterologous nucleic acids. These high-expression promoters are useful for the expression of chimeric genes in Zymomonas and other related bacteria.

Career Highlights

Throughout her career, Carol has worked with notable companies such as E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. Her work in these organizations has allowed her to develop and refine her innovative ideas in biotechnology.

Collaborations

Carol has collaborated with esteemed colleagues, including Paul Veikko Viitanen and Yat-Chen Chou. These partnerships have contributed to her success and the advancement of her research.

Conclusion

Carol M McCutchen is a trailblazer in the field of biotechnology, with a focus on improving xylose utilization through innovative engineering techniques. Her contributions continue to influence the industry and pave the way for future advancements.