Fellow

Professor of Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition at Newcastle University, Harry Gilbert is a world leader in the field of carbohydrate biochemistry. His ground-breaking work has unveiled the mechanisms of how enzymes degrade complex polysaccharides and how this action is tailored by accessory binding modules. He has further shown how complex enzymatic nanomachines are assembled and used by anaerobic organisms to digest plant matter, with major relevance for the biofuel industry. His recent work, on how human gut bacteria digest complex plant matter, is of major importance to human health, showing how complex plant and fungal polysaccharides are pivotal to the maintenance of a healthy intestine.