Erin Drufva

Postdoctorate level biochemical engineer with publications in enzyme expression/engineering and genetic tool development

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America

Research Expertise

Biochemical Engineering

Microbiology

Synthetic Biology

Chemical Engineering

Protein Engineering

About

Erin Drufva is a highly educated and experienced individual in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. She obtained her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from a reputable institution in 2013 and continued her education by pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, which she completed in 2018. During her time as a graduate student, Erin gained valuable research experience as a Graduate Research Assistant, conducting experiments and analyzing data related to her field of study. She also served as a Teaching Assistant, helping students understand complex concepts and conducting laboratory sessions. After completing her Ph.D., Erin continued her research career as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, she worked on various projects related to enzyme engineering and published several papers in reputable journals. Erin also worked as a Biochemical Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this role, she utilized her knowledge and skills to assist in various environmentally relevant projects. Overall, Erin is a dedicated and skilled professional with a strong background in chemical engineering and microbiology. She is passionate about research and continuously seeks opportunities to expand her knowledge and expertise in her field.

Publications

Phase separation to create hydrophilic yet non‐water soluble PLA/PLA‐b‐PEG fibers via electrospinning

Journal of Applied Polymer Science / Jun 10, 2014

Buttaro, L. M., Drufva, E., & Frey, M. W. (2014). Phase separation to create hydrophilic yet non‐water soluble PLA/PLA‐b‐PEG fibers via electrospinning. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131(19). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.41030

Fast genome editing in Bacillus subtilis

Engineering in Life Sciences / May 06, 2019

Wu, G., Drufva, E., & Wu, K. (2019). Fast genome editing in Bacillus subtilis. Engineering in Life Sciences, 19(6), 471–477. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.201800164

Site directed mutagenesis as a precision tool to enable synthetic biology with engineered modular polyketide synthases

Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology / Jun 01, 2020

Drufva, E. E., Hix, E. G., & Bailey, C. B. (2020). Site directed mutagenesis as a precision tool to enable synthetic biology with engineered modular polyketide synthases. Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 5(2), 62–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.synbio.2020.04.001

Site‐Directed Mutagenesis of Modular Polyketide Synthase Ketoreductase Domains for Altered Stereochemical Control

ChemBioChem / Dec 22, 2020

Drufva, E. E., Spengler, N. R., Hix, E. G., & Bailey, C. B. (2020). Site‐Directed Mutagenesis of Modular Polyketide Synthase Ketoreductase Domains for Altered Stereochemical Control. ChemBioChem, 22(7), 1122–1150. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202000613

Natural Products from Actinomycetes

Jan 01, 2022

Rai, R. V., & Bai, J. A. (Eds.). (2022). Natural Products from Actinomycetes: Diversity, Ecology and Drug Discovery. Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6132-7

High-Throughput Characterization and Optimization of Polyamide Hydrolase Activity Using Open Port Sampling Interface Mass Spectrometry

Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry / Jun 01, 2023

Cahill, J. F., Kertesz, V., Saint-Vincent, P., Valentino, H., Drufva, E., Thiele, N., & Michener, J. K. (2023). High-Throughput Characterization and Optimization of Polyamide Hydrolase Activity Using Open Port Sampling Interface Mass Spectrometry. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 34(7), 1383–1391. https://doi.org/10.1021/jasms.3c00097

Identification and characterization of substrate- and product-selective nylon hydrolases

Nov 14, 2024

Drufva, E. E., Cahill, J. F., Saint-Vincent, P. M. B., Williams, A. N., Bocharova, V., Capra, N., Meilleur, F., Carper, D. L., Bourgery, C., Miyazaki, K., Yonemura, M., Shiraishi, Y., Parks, J. M., Zhou, M., Dishner, I. T., Foster, J. C., Koehler, S. J., Valentino, H. R., Sedova, A., … Michener, J. K. (2024). Identification and characterization of substrate- and product-selective nylon hydrolases. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.14.623603

Education

B.A., Chemistry / May, 2013

South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States of America

University of New Hampshire

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering / May, 2018

Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America

Experience

University of New Hampshire

Graduate Research Assistant / January, 2014 — 2018

I worked on various projects including the characterization of fluorescent proteins as gene expression reporters for Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius, development of fast, marker-less genome editing techniques for Bacillus subtilis, and characterization and immobilization of a thermostable laccase on the surface of B. subtilis spores. I also acted as laboratory manager and assisted undergraduate students with their projects.

University of New Hampshire

Teaching Assistant / September, 2013 — May, 2017

I assisted professors in the chemical engineering department with grading homework assignments and laboratory reports. I also held office hours where I helped students with homework and studying for tests. Finally, I helped set up laboratory experiments and oversaw students as they completed experiments.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Postdoctoral Research Associate / January, 2019 — March, 2022

I investigated the impact of host selection on the heterologous expression of polyketide synthases. I also acted as laboratory manager. Finally, I assisted undergraduate and graduate students with various projects involving ketoreductase expression/engineering and nonribosomal peptide synthetase expression/engineering.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Biochemical Engineer / April, 2022 — October, 2024

I characterized a panel of enzymes for nylon hydrolase activity and worked on engineering one of these enzymes. I also developed a transformation protocol for a non-model bacterium, Bacillus velezensis.

Links & Social Media

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