Yosephine Gumulya

Manfred T. Reetz (Figure 1), one of the most influential and creative figures in modern catalysis, passed away on April 23, 2026. His scientific work, spanning more than five decades, is remarkable for its breadth, originality and enduring impact. From fundamental contributions to organometallic chemistry to the conceptual and methodological foundations of directed evolution of enzymes, Reetz shaped the way chemists think today about catalysis.

Credit: bluebay2014/Adobe By James Behrendorff, Yosephine Gumulya & Elizabeth Gillam Enzymes resurrected from the past can survive tough industrial conditions better than their modern-day counterparts, leading to safer drugs and better biofuels. To view this article subscribe or purchase a yearly pass here.

Recent advances in enzyme engineering and design have expanded nature’s catalytic repertoire to functions that are new to biology1,2,3. However, only a subset of these engineered enzymes can function in living systems4,5,6,7.