Investigating the chemical mechanisms utilized by methanogenic archaeal enzymes

Andrea Marcano Delgado has spent the past three years at MIT, having relocated to Cambridge from her native Puerto Rico, where she completed her undergraduate education. As a graduate student in Professor Catherine Drennan's laboratory, Andrea is dedicated to investigating the chemical mechanisms utilized by methanogenic archaeal enzymes that play a role in acetoclastic methanogenesis.

Through the structural characterization of these enzymes using cryogenic electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, the research team seeks to uncover insights into the ancient biochemical processes that contributed to the development of the metabolic pathways of the earliest life forms on Earth.

"Growing up on a tropical island, I was always immersed in nature," Andrea remarked. "This early connection instilled in me a profound respect for the environment and a dedication to its preservation. My choice to pursue a PhD in chemistry was driven by my desire to understand life at the molecular level and to tackle environmental challenges through scientific inquiry."

In this month's Graduate Student Spotlight, Andrea Marcano Delgado discusses how her upbringing in Puerto Rico has influenced her PhD research, the significant mystery she hopes to solve, the invention that has had a major positive impact on the world, and more!

Department of chemistry