The Innovators

November 13, 2008

Norman G. Lewis, Ph.D.

Regents Professor
Director, Institute of Biological Chemistry

College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences

Dr. Norman G. Lewis is director of the Institute of Biological Chemistry at WSU and is widely recognized by the plant science research community as one of the outstanding plant biochemists in the nation. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in 1977 and joined the WSU faculty in 1990 as the Arthur M. and Kate Eisig-Tode Distinguished Professor and Fellow. He was named Regents Professor at WSU in March in recognition of his exemplary research and teaching. Dr. Lewis currently serves on scientific advisory boards for major research centers across the United States and in Taiwan. Dr. Lewis is one of the pioneers who have greatly advanced our understanding of the biochemistry of phenylpropanoids. President of the Phytochemical Society of North America, Dr. Lewis is regional editor for Phytochemistry, a monitoring editor for Plant Physiology (ASPB), and executive editor for a new Elsevier Series “Advances in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.” The N.G. Lewis research group has published more than 200 scientific papers.

Research Focus:

• Biochemistry of plant phenolics
• biochemistry of plant cell-wall synthesis and unique plant constituents
• effects of gravity on metabolic pathways in plants
  

Professional Experience and Education

• 1990 to present, Director, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University
• 1985-1980, associate professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• 1982-85, group leader, graduate research, Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada
• 1980-82, assistant scientist, Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada
• 1980, research associate, National Research Council of Canada
• 1978-80, NRC postdoctoral fellowship, University of Cambridge
• 1977, Ph.D., Chemistry, University of British Columbia
• 1973, B.Sc., Honors Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
  

Recent Awards and Publications

• 2008 Regents Professor, Washington State University
• Arthur M. and Kate Eisig-Tode Distinguished Professor
  
• Davin, L.B., Patten, A.M., Jourdes, M. and Lewis, N.G.  2008.  Lignins:  A 21st century challenge.  In “Biomass Recalcitrance” (Himmel, M., Ed.), Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK (in press).
• Vassão, D.G., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2007.  Metabolic engineering of plant allyl/propenyl phenol and lignin pathways:  Future potential for biofuels/bioenergy, polymer intermediates and specialty chemicals?  In “Advances in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” (Lewis, N.G., Ed.-in-Chief), Vol. 1, Bioengineering and Molecular Biology of Plant Pathways (Bohnert, H.J. and Nguyen, H.T, eds.), Elsevier Publishers, Oxford, UK (in press).
• Vassão, D.G., Kim, S.-J., Milhollan, J.K., Eichinger, D., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2007.  A pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase homologue from the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) catalyzes the efficient in vitro conversion of p-coumaryl/coniferyl alcohol esters into the allylphenols chavicol/eugenol, but not the propenylphenols p-anol/isoeugenol. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (doi:10.1016/j.abb.2007.06.002; in press).
• Kim, S.-J, Kim, K.-W., Cho, M.-H., Franceschi, V.R. (deceased), Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2007.  Expression of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases and their putative homologues during Arabidopsis thaliana growth and development:  lessons for database annotations?  Phytochemistry 68(14):1956-1973.
• Jourdes, M., Cardenas, C.L., Laskar, D.D., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2007.  Plant cell walls are enfeebled whenattempting to preserve native lignin configuration with poly-p-hydroxycinnamaldehydes:  Evolutionary implications.  Phytochemistry 68(14):1931-1955.
• Patten, A.M., Jourdes, M., Brown, E.E., Laborie, M.-P., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2007.  Reaction tissue formation and stem tensile modulus properties in wild-type and p-coumarate-3-hydroxylase downregulated lines of alfalfa, Medicago sativa (Fabaceae).  Am. J. Botany 94(6):912-924.
• Hwang-Kim, K., Franceschi, V.R., Davin, L.B., & Lewis, N.G. 2006. Beta-Glucuronidase as reporter gene:  Advantages and limitations. In “Methods in Molecular Biology” vol. 323: Arabidopsis Protocols (2nd Edition), Salinas, J. and Sanchez-Serrano, J.J., eds., pp 263-273. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, Inc.
• Lewis, N.G. 2006. Anniversary – David I. Goring 85. Cellulose Chemistry and Technology, 40(3-4), pp 145-147.
• Lewis, N.G. 2006. Editorial:  Special issue dedicated to Prof. Rodney B. Croteau on his 60th birthday. Phytochemistry 67(15):1560-1561.
• Lewis, N.G. 2006. Editorial:  Special issue dedicated to Prof. Rodney B. Croteau on his 60th birthday. Phytochemistry 67(16):1704-1705.
• Youn, B., Kim, S.-J., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Lee, C., Bedgar, D.L., Harper, A.R., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G. and Kang, C.H.  2006.  Mechanistic and structural studies of apo-form, binary, and ternary complexes of the Arabidopsis alkenal double bond reductase At5g16970.  J. Biol. Chem. 281(52):40076-40088.
• Kasahara, H., Jiao, Y., Bedgar, D.L., Kim, S.-J., Patten, A.M., Xia, Z.-Q., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2006.  Pinus taeda phenylpropenal double-bond reductase:  Purification, cDNA cloning, heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, and subcellular localization in P. taeda.  Phytochemistry 67(16):1765-1780.
• Koeduka, T., Fridman, E., Gang, D. R., Vassão, D.G., Jackson, B.L., Kish, C.M., Orlova, I., Spassova, S.M., Lewis, N.G., Noel, J.P., Baiga, T.J., Dudareva, N. and Pichersky, E.  2006.  Eugenol and isoeugenol, characteristic aromatic constituents of spices, are biosynthesized via reduction of coniferyl alcohol esters.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103(36):10128-10133.
• Vassão, D.G., Gang, D.R., Kueduka, T., Jackson, B., Pichersky, E., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2006.  Chavicol formation in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum): Cleavage of an esterified C9 hydroxyl group with NAD(P)H-dependent reduction.  Org. Biomol. Chem. 4:2733-2744.
• Youn, B., Camacho, R., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Lee, C., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G. and Kang, C.  2006.  Crystal structures and catalytic mechanism of the Arabidopsis cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases AtCAD5 and AtCAD4.  Org. Biomol. Chem. 4:1687-1697.
• Laskar, D.D., Jourdes, M., Patten, A.M., Helms, G.L., Davin, L.B., & Lewis, N.G. 2006. The Arabidopsis cinnamoyl CoA reductase irx4 mutant has a delayed, but coherent (normal) program of lignification. The Plant Journal 48(5), 674-686.
• Youn, B., Kim, S., Moinuddin, S.G., Lee, C., Bedgar, D.L., Harper, A.R., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G., and Kang, C. 2006. Mechanistic and structural studies of apoform, binary, and ternary complexes of the Arabidopsis alkenal double bond reductase (At5g16970). The Journal of Biological Chemistr. 281(52):40076-40088.
• Moinuddin, S.G.A., Youn, B.H., Bedgar, D.L., Costa, M.A., Helms, G.L., Kang, C.H., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2006.  Secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase: Mode of catalysis and stereospecificity of hydride transfer in Podophyllum peltatum.  Org. Biomol. Chem. 4:808-816.  (Cover page article.)
• Kim, K.-W., Franceschi, V.R., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2006.  b-Glucuronidase as reporter gene:  Advantages and limitations.  In “Methods in Molecular Biology” vol. 323: Arabidopsis Protocols, Second Edition (Salinas, J. and Sanchez-Serrano, J.J., eds.), Methods in Molecular Biology Series.  Vol. 271.  Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ.  pp. 271-281.  (Cover page article).
• Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2005.  Lignin primary structures and dirigent sites.  Current Opinion in Biotechnology 16:407-415.
• Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2005.  Dirigent phenoxy radical coupling:  Advances and challenges.  Current Opinion in Biotechnology 16:398-406.
• Costa, M.A., Bedgar, D.L., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Kim, K.-W., Cardenas, C.L., Cochrane, F.C., Shockey, J.M., Helms,G.L., Amakura, Y., Takahashi, H., Milhollan, J.K., Davin, L.B., Browse, J. and Lewis, N.G.  2005.  Characterization in vitro and in vivo of the putative multigene 4-coumarate:CoA ligase network in Arabidopsis: syringyl lignin and sinapate/sinapyl alcohol derivative formation.  Phytochemistry 66(17):2071-2090.
• Patten, A.M., Cardenas, C.L., Cochrane, F.C., Laskar, D., Bedgar, D.L., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2005.  Reassessment of effects on lignification and vascular development in the irx4 Arabidopsis mutant.  Phytochemistry 66(17):2091-2106.
• Youn, B.H., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G. and Kang, C.H.  2005.  Crystal structures of apo-form, binary and ternary complexes of Podophyllum secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in formation of health-protecting and plant defense lignans.  J. Biol. Chem. 280(13):12917-12926.
• Ehrenkranz, J.R.L., Lewis, N.G. and Kahn, C.R.  2005.  Phlorizin: a review.  Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews 21:31-38.
• Cochrane, F.C., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2004.  The Arabidopsis Phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene family: Kinetic characterization of the four PAL isoforms. Phytochemistry 65:1557-1564.
• Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2004.  An historical perspective on lignan biosynthesis:  monolignol, allylphenol and hydroxycinnamic acid coupling and downstream metabolism. Phytochemistry Reviews 3:257-288 (2003). 
• Halls, S., Davin, L.B., Kramer, D.M. and Lewis, N.G.  2004.  Kinetic study of coniferyl alcohol radical binding to the (+)-pinoresinol forming dirigent protein.  Biochemistry 43:2587-2595.
• Kim, S.J., Kim, M.-R., Bedgar, D.L., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Cardenas, C.L., Davin, L.B., Kang C.H. and Lewis, N.G.  2004.  Functional Reclassification of the putative cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) multigene family in Arabidopsis.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101:1455-1460.
• Min, T.-P., Kasahara, H., Bedgar, D.L., Hilsenbeck, J.L., Lawrence, P.K., Youn, B., Gang, D.R., Halls, S.C., Park, H.J., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G. and Kang, C.-H.  2003.  Crystal Structures of Pinoresinol-Lariciresinol and Phenylcoumaran Benzylic Ether Reductases, and their Relationship to Isoflavone Reductases.  J. Biol. Chem. 278:50714-50723.
• Cho, M.H., Moinuddin, S.G.A., Helms, G.L., Hishiyama, S., Eichinger, D., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  (+)-Larreatricin hydroxylase, an enantiospecific phenol oxidase from the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata).  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100:10641-10646.
• Medeiros, J.R., Campos, L.B., Mendonca, S.C., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from invasive species of the Azores, Hedychium gardnerianumn and Pittosporum undulatum.  Phytochemistry 64(2):561-565.
• Moinuddin, S.G.A., Cho, M.-H., Hishiyama, S., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  Synthesis and chiral HPLC analysis of the antiviral lignans, larreatricins, 8¢-epi-larreatricins, 3,3¢-didemethoxyverrucosins and meso-3,3¢-didemethoxynectandrin B in the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata).  Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 1(13):2307-2313. 
• Blee, K., Choi, J.W., O’Connell, A.P., Schuch, W., Lewis, N.G. and Bolwell, G.P.  2003.  A lignin-specific peroxidase in tobacco whose antisense suppression leads to vascular tissue modification.  Phytochemistry 64(1):163-176.
• Costa, M.A., Collins, R.E., Anterola, A.M., Cochrane, F.C., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  An in silico Assessment of Gene Function and Organization of the Phenylpropanoid Pathway Metabolic Networks in Arabidopsis thalianaand Limitations Thereof.  Phytochemistry 64(6):1097-1112.
• Medeiros, J.R., Medeiros, N., Medeiros, H., Davin, L.B. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  Composition of the Bioactive Essential Oils from the Leaves of Eugenia stipitata McVaugh ssp. sororia from the Azores.  J. Essent. Oil Res. 15(4):293-295.
• Teoh, K.H., Ford, J.D., Kim, M.-R., Davin, L.B., Lewis, N.G.  2003.  Delineating the Metabolic Pathway(s) to Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside Hydroxymethyl Glutarate Oligomers in Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum).  In: Cunnane, S.C., Thompson, L.U., (Eds.), Flaxseed in Human Nutrition, second edition.  AOCS Press, Champaign, Illinois, pp. 41-62.
• Halls, S.C. and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  Reversed-phase HPLC Lignan Chiral Analyses with Laser Polarimetric Detection.  Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 14(6):649-658.
• Davin, L.B., Helms, G.C., Wang, C.-Z., and Lewis, N.G.  2003.  [13C]-Specific labeling of 8–2¢ linked (–)-cis-blechnic, (–)-trans-blechnic and (–)-brainic acids in the fern Blechnum spicant.  Phytochemistry 62:501-511.

Thursday, November 13
The Rainier Club
820 Fourth Avenue, Seattle

Registration: 11:30 a.m.
Lunch Program: Noon

News Releases

• Growing Better Biofuel Feedstock Focus of $840,000 USDA Grant to WSU
  
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