Enzymes are proteins that control and catalyze chemical reactions essential for life.

Nature’s ability to employ highly evolved biological catalysts to generate diverse and complex molecules through selective reactions has inspired chemists for decades, leading to the field of biocatalysis. The potential societal impacts of biocatalysis are significant, yet chemists have only recently begun to leverage these efficient and selective natural processes. The NSF Center for ChemoEnzymatic Synthesis seeks to develop unprecedented transformations and achieve new selectivity strategies by applying novel concepts in biocatalysis. These advances will allow the scientific community to address 21st-century challenges in the production of new medicines and materials.