Education Background

  • 2016 - 2020 Postdoctoral Scholar, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky
  • 2015              Ph.D., Chemistry, Texas A&M University
  • 2008              B.S, Chemistry, Jacksonville State University

Work Experience

2020 - present Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Augusta University

Teaching Area

Organic Chemistry

Research Interest

1. Investigation of modular biosynthetic enzymes, such as nonribosomal peptide synthetases and polyketide synthases.
2. Engineering of biosynthetic enzymes to produce “non-natural” natural products.
3. Discovery of novel natural products from unexplored sources.

HONORS AND AWARDS

2020 - JSPS Overseas Research Fellowship, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan
(declined because of accepting a job offer)
2019 - Travel Awards for Active Members, American Society of Pharmacognosy
2018 - Long Term Visit Fellowship, Yamada Science Foundation, Japan
2007 - Richard J. Beschi Leadership in Chemistry Award 2007

MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP)


Selected PUBLICATIONS

  • Mori, S.; Garneasu-Tsodikova, S.; Tsodikov, O. V. (2020). Unimodular methylation by adenylation-thiolation domains containing an embedded methyltransferase. J. Mol. Biol., 432(21), 5802-5808.
  • Mori, S.†; Pang, A. H.†; Thamban Chandrika, N.; Garneau-Tsodikova, S.; Tsodikov, O. V. (2019). Unusual substrate and halide versatility of phenolic halogenase PltM. Nat. Commun. 10, 1255.
  • Mori, S.†; Pang, H. A.†; Lundy, T. A.; Garzan, A.; Tsodikov, O. V.; Garneau-Tsodikova, S. (2018). Structural basis for backbone N-methylation by an interrupted adenylation domain. Nat. Chem. Biol., 14(5), 428-430.
  • Mori, S.; Shrestha, S. K.; Fernandez, J.; Alvarez San Millan, M.; Garzan, A.; Al-Mestarihi, A. H.; Lombó, F.; Garneau-Tsodikova, S. (2017). Activation and loading of the starter unit during thiocoraline biosynthesis. Biochemistry, 56(34), 4457-4467.
  • Mori, S.; Simkhada, D.; Zhang, H.; Erb, M. S.; Zhang, Y.; Williams, H.; Fedoseyenko, D.; Russell, W. K.; Kim, D.; Fleer, N.; Ealick, S.; Watanabe, C. M. H. (2016). Polyketide ring expansion mediated by a thioesterase, chain elongation and cyclization domain, in azinomycin biosynthesis: characterization of AziB and AziG. Biochemistry, 55(4), 704-714.
  • Mori, S.; Williams, H.; Cagle, D.; Karanovich, K.; Horgen, F. D.; Smith III, R.; Watanabe, C. M. H. (2015). Macrolactone nuiapolide, isolated from a Hawaiian marine Cyanobacterium, exhibits anti-chemotactic activity. Mar. Drugs, 13(10), 6274-6290.