Peters is a Professor of the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology at Iowa State University. He has served as Director of the department’s Graduate Program and has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and winner of the Neish Young Investigator Award from the Phytochemical Society of North America.

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Peters’ group at Iowa State University has contributed significantly to the fundamental understanding of diterpene synthase genetics and biochemistry. Manus has developed proprietary innovations to enable the sustainable and economical production of terpenoids and is expected to benefit immensely from the deep experience Prof. Peters has to share.

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“The natural structural diversity of terpenoids leads to a number of important applications for this class of compounds. Flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and even commodity chemicals, can be made from terpenoid biochemistry,” noted Dr. Ajikumar Parayil, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Manus. “Prof. Peters’ world-class expertise in the area of terpenoid enzymology and biochemistry is a welcome addition to our Scientific Advisory Board, supporting the deep level of understanding required for a biologically-inspired approach to pathway engineering.”