GECCO Biotech B.V.
Avondsterlaan 128, 9742KE, Groningen, The Netherlands

www.gecco-biotech.com

Description of PI principally associated with DECADES
Dr. Nikola Lončar, n.loncar@gecco-biotech.com. Lončar has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Belgrade (Serbia) and he spent 5 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) working on discovery and engineering of oxidoreductases. Lončar is the CEO of GECCO Biotech B.V. and CSO of OXYCO – The Enzyme Factory S.L. In 2020 Lončar discovered BUPOs and their ability to facilitate melanin production.

Dr. Hugo van Beek, h.l.van.beek@gecco-biotech.com; van Beek obtained his PhD from the  University of Groningen and spent 2 years of postdoctoral research at the RWTH Aachen where he worked on high-throughput screening of enzyme libraries using FACS sorting. He has a strong expertise in library construction and high-throughput analytical methods. Currently he is the COO of GECCO Biotech.

Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment
GECCO Biotech operates laboratories fully equipped for molecular biotechnology and biocatalysis.

Hosting University/Company:
GECCO is a contract-research organization (CRO) with a unique position on the enzyme market. Having deep insights of current needs and developments GECCO is bridging the gap between fundamental research on enzyme structure and function and enzyme application. GECCO’s core business is early-stage enzyme discovery and engineering. Tailor made biocatalysts and new processes are developed to meet needs of clients from pharmaceutical, F&F, fine chemical and food industry. While it operates as a CRO, GECCO is also spending a large portion of resources on intensive R&D which resulted in two patent applications.

GECCO has established and enlarged its collection, containing 500+ enzymes from various classes, available for screening and valorization. Enzyme collection is being continuously enlarged and it often serves as a tool for engaging clients into an enzyme engineering campaign.

At GECCO we combine molecular biology, bioinformatics and structural biology to develop new enzymes, but we also have a strong expertise in biocatalytic processes. Translating the accumulated knowledge from academia into practice and into the market is the main innovation that GECCO is bringing to DECADES. 

Relevant Publications and/or Research / Innovation Product

[1] N. Lončar, H.L. van Beek, M.W. Fraaije, Structure-Based Redesign of a Self-   Sufficient Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase towards Indigo Production. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 20 (2019) 6148-6153.

[2] N. Lončar, J. Eryilmaz, E. Senel, G. Kaplan, M.W. Fraaije, O. Cobanoglu, Process and apparatus for dyeing textiles, Patent application PCT WO 2020/015839A1

[3] N. Lončar, F. Fiorentini, G. Bailleul, A. Mattevi, M.W. Fraaije, Characterization of a thermostable flavin-containing monooxygenase from Nitrincola lacisaponensis (NiFMO) Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 103 (2019) 1755. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-09579-w

[4] H. van Beek, E. Romero, M. W. Fraaije, Engineering Cyclohexanone Monooxygenase for the Production of Methyl Propanoate, ACS Chem. Biol. 12 (2017) 291-299

[5] C. Martin C, A. Ovalle Maqueo,H.J. Wijma, M.W. Fraaije, Creating a more robust 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidase by combining computational predictions with a novel effective library design. Biotechnol Biofuels. 11 (2018) 56. doi:10.1186/s13068-018-1051-x