The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released a first-of-its-kind global spatial analysis assessing the potential for developing biogases from organic waste streams. Modelling carried out for the analysis suggests that nearly 900 billion m3/year of natural gas equivalent could be sustainably produced, meeting 20% of current global demand. More than …
Application Deadline: 16 Nov 2026, at 11:00 AM CET The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) has launched a new initiative: the ‘Engineering Microbial Consortia’ Challenge. Funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) as part of Germany’s National Circular Economy Strategy, …
Further to our recent item on this topic, Dr Maira Anam has kindly made a recorded version of her talk on Impact of fluid flow on microbial community development in pilot-scale MEC, presented at the EBIC EBES Conference 2026. The talk is now available here on EBNet’s YouTube Channel. She also …
It looks as if there is still plenty of funding around in the Engineering Biology field, though discussions continue as to exactly what this comprises – only genetically manipulated biology, or all engineered systems? We don’t always publicise opportunities in the former as we figure that EBNet members who work …
Digestates from anaerobic digestion of organic wastes and wastewater treatment residues are a hot topic at present, for several reasons. On the one hand they represent a largely unrealised resource in terms of nutrients and other potential products: on the other, there are growing concerns about the impact of emerging …
Dr Maira Anam of Newcastle University has had a busy few weeks. Early last month she attended the Better Water 4 All Network+ ECR conference, where she won a prize for her poster on Impact of hydrodynamics on pilot scale Microbial Electrolysis Cells. And in mid-September she was at the …
Date: 29 Oct 2026 14:00 UK, online Don’t miss this webinar exploring current advances and emerging trends in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. Dr Seongbong Heo will discuss research spanning mixed microbial cultures, waste-derived feedstocks, nutrient-decoupled and integrated production strategies, and data-driven approaches to PHA accumulation. The session will provide an accessible …
Closing date: 16 April 2027 A new call funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) allows UK-based researchers to collaborate with international partners in joint applications to the Biodiversa+ 2026 to 2027 call joint funding opportunity Novel ecosystems (BiodivFuture). BiodivFuture funds research and innovation addressing biodiversity and novel ecosystems, …
A colleague using AI for thematic analysis of some contributions by EBNet WG Leads noticed an interesting sub-heading: ‘Designed biology versus managed natural communities’. The distinction being made was apparently between microbially-mediated treatment systems based on synthetic biology, and those not involving genetically manipulated organisms or components. This is rather …
Earlier this year Defra and the devolved UK administrations ran a Public Consultation on reforming the UK Fertilising Product Regulations (FPR). The topic of fertiliser products is going through a period of intensive review across Europe; and, since nutrients are both a problem and a key opportunity for the Environmental …
A recent paper reports the effect of abstraction method on microbial communities and pathogen risks in shallow groundwater supplies, based on work carried out across several locations and seasons in Kenya. The study used qPCR and 16S rRNA sequencing to characterise pathogenic indicator species and bacterial communities in three sand-dam …
Following a recent successful flash-fiction competition on the theme of ‘Epiphanies’, the Green Stories Project led by Prof Denise Baden is now inviting people to bring one of the winning short stories from the anthology to life in the form of a short film or animation. The item should last …
Application Deadline: 9 Nov 2026 The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Pre/Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers (Short Term) provides the opportunity for short-term visits by researchers based in the UK or Ireland who are nationals or permanent residents of the UK, EU member states, Switzerland, Norway, the …
Nomination deadline: 31 Dec 2026 The Young Investigator Award was established by the journal Processes in 2020 to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in the field of processes/systems in chemistry, biology, material, energy, environment, food, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, automation control, catalysis, separation, particle and allied engineering. Nominations are accepted from …
Congratulations to Dr Seongbong Heo and co-authors for their recent paper on enhancing PHA enrichment in granular sludges through control of settling strategies. This paper is an excellent example of several key issues and themes within EBNet: the importance of interactions between engineering-scale interventions and complex microbial systems; the need …
