https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/paulina-liceaga/week-01-hw-project-ideas/index.htmlProject Idea: Cell-Free Manufacturing of chemotherapeutic Etoposide Precursor (1) What you would like to biomanufacture and why? The goal is to biomanufacture podophyllotoxin, a natural precursor used in the production of the chemotherapeutic drug etoposide, which is used primarily to treat testicular cancer and small-cell lung cancer. Podophyllotoxin is traditionally obtained from mayapple plants, particularly Podophyllum hexandrum (Himalayan mayapple), which contains higher concentrations of podophyllotoxin than the more common American mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum. The reliance on these plants for extraction creates both a supply challenge and a conservation concern, particularly for P. hexandrum, which has experienced significant pressure from harvesting. There has already been work toward producing podophyllotoxin in alternative biological systems, including engineered tobacco plants. However, I am interested in exploring whether a more controllable biomanufacturing platform, such as a microbial chassis or cell-free system, could eventually provide a more flexible and scalable route to production. My aim is to both: contribute to a more reliable supply of an important pharmaceutical precursor, potentially making its downstream production more accessible and less dependent on plant harvesting, while also reducing pressure on the native plant populations from which podophyllotoxin is traditionally obtained.Hugoen