Rate My Professor Wayne Patrick

Professor Wayne Patrick is Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biological Sciences within the Faculty of Science at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. He obtained his BSc (Hons) and PhD from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Earlier in his career, Patrick held positions as Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, from 2007 to 2012. He joined Victoria University of Wellington around 2018, advancing through the ranks to full Professor, with his current role emphasizing leadership in biochemical research and education.

Patrick's research specializations encompass biochemistry, enzymology, protein engineering, and evolutionary biology. His laboratory investigates the evolution of enzymes and metabolic pathways, employs AI-driven approaches to design improved enzymes, develops enzyme-based biosensors for industrial applications such as malic acid detection in winemaking, and advances technologies for RNA vaccines. These efforts integrate directed evolution, computational protein design, structural analyses, and synthetic biology techniques to engineer proteins with enhanced functionalities. He has produced 96 peer-reviewed publications, garnering 3,951 citations on Google Scholar and 3,161 citations on ResearchGate, underscoring his influence in the field. Key publications include 'Enzyme promiscuity in natural environments: alkaline phosphatase as a case study' (ISME Journal, 2021), 'Enzyme-based amperometric biosensors for malic acid' (Analytica Chimica Acta, 2021), 'Uniform binding and negative catalysis at the origin of enzymatic rate accelerations' (Protein Science, 2022), and 'The more we learn, the more diverse it gets: structures and mechanisms of tRNA nucleotidyltransferases' (Biochemical Journal, 2025). Patrick has received notable funding, including a Marsden Fast-Start Fellowship in 2011 while at Massey University and a Health Research Council Explorer Grant in 2018. He teaches courses in biochemistry and cell biology, supervises postgraduate students, and engages in public outreach, such as his inaugural professorial lecture highlighting biochemistry's role in addressing major biological questions. His interdisciplinary collaborations extend to industry partners in New Zealand's wine sector.