In FCH430 Biochemistry I, students work in groups to develop a compelling pitch that their enzyme, chosen from a list of nominees, is the Coolest Enzyme. Enzyme pitches are made as an end-of-semester poster session, where the audience votes for the Coolest Enzyme. The Coolest Enzyme will become the SUNY ESF Enzyme of the Year for that year.

Manganese peroxidase is a catabolic enzyme found in white-rot fungi, facilitating the breakdown of plant lignin in the environment. The enzyme uses hydrogen peroxide to produce manganese (III) ions. These ions oxidize carbon-carbon bonds to form radicals, turning otherwise stable structures into easily biodegradable carbon sources. This mechanism enables the degradation of many persistent environmental pollutants such as plastics, synthetic dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and industrial byproducts.

Dinoflagellate luciferase is an enzyme found in dinoflagellates, the dominant source of bioluminescence in coastal waters. Luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of the molecule luciferin, producing an excited compound that then emits visible light as it returns to its ground state. The enzyme's activity is pH-dependent. At low pH, protonation of histidine residues trigger a conformational change that allows the luciferin substrate to bind to the active site.