UK scientists seek to unlock biorefining processes
29 Feb 2016
A new collaborative research project has been launched to improve the biorefining processes behind industrial fermentation.
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and the University of Cambridge are taking part in the joint venture to develop the novel microbial-based technology.
Their study will be assessing the potential of the technology to boost the competitiveness of industrial biotechnology for production of bulk chemicals.
Supported by funding from Innovate UK, the project also aims to progress efforts to suspend unnecessary cell metabolism and growth while maintaining the production of chemical products, in a state known as quiescence.
The CPI said the advantage of quiescent cell technology (Q-Cells) is the ability to maintain productivity while reducing feedstock requirements and waste generation.
The project will evaluate the Q-Cell performance by monitoring the production of 3-hydroxybutyrate, a chiral molecule which is a building block for biodegradable polymers (bioplastics).
If successful this exciting technology has the potential to transform the economic feasibility of a number of industrial biotechnology processes
Steven Pearson, business and strategy manager at CPI
The technology will be investigated under scaled-down conditions, building on research undertaken by David Summers in the department of genetics at the University of Cambridge, who developed the proof-of-concept technology for Q-Cells in E. Coli.
The UK chemicals industry has a turnover of up to £57bn, of which £4-12bn will be generated from industrial biotechnology by 2025, said the CPI.
It added that bioplastics production - used as a replacement for hydrocarbon plastics - is predicted to grow from 1.4 metric tonnes in 2012 to over 6 metric tonnes by 2017.
The CPI will lead the project from its headquarters in Wilton.
"If successful this exciting technology has the potential to transform the economic feasibility of a number of industrial biotechnology processes," said Steven Pearson, business and strategy manager at CPI.
"This project forms part of suite of novel ‘enabling technology’ development projects being developed at CPI in engineering and biotechnology."
