Environmental Biotechnology Network

Tuesday, 1st December 2020 at 12:00pm – 1:30pm

This event is FREE-TO-MEMBERS. Register through Eventbrite here. Non-members are welcome – join the Network for free prior to registration. Alternatively, email Louise and Angie at: EBNet@EBNet.ac.uk.

In place of our Research Colloquium 2021, EBNet will be hosting a series of specialist webinars to support knowledge exchange amongst members. Register now to join the EBNet webinar “Sustainable Biological Removal of N and P – Advances and Challenges for Environmental Biotech“. Hear the latest developments from top speakers and participate in the online chat to engage with questions.

Featuring presentations from:

Juhani Kostiainen, Plantwork Systems Ltd.
Talk: Sustainable biological P and N removal from municipal and commercial wastewater using an optimised floc based activated sludge process.
Biography: Juhani Kostiainen Bsc : Has over 40 years in the water and wastewater industry with previous experience of technology transfer of SBR processes to other countries. He is a member of EEC CEN/TN 165/WG 41 (the European Committee for Standardisation), which is a working group compiling draft proposals for new standards required to meet more stringent future demands for medium sized WwTPs. He is a member of the IWA (International Water Association) in 6 working groups, the MEP (Multiple Environmental Professionals) and is a member of the City of Tampere Waterworks Board which oversees advancements and auditing of the treatment systems. The board monitors both the water supply and wastewater treatment for the 200,000 population city. His present focus is on Biological Nutrient Removal and is an Expert in SBR technology. Juhani heads the process team for Plantwork Systems Ltd. (PWS) a high tech, environmentally principled company providing innovative, sustainable solutions to all sectors of the wastewater treatment industry.

Professor Ana Soares, Cranfield University
Talk: Options for N and P removal and recovery from wastewater

Dr Ana Soares is a Professor of Biotechnology Engineering specialising in environmental water protection and resource recovery at Cranfield University .

Her work focuses in municipal as well as industrial wastewater management, proposing innovative and economically feasible solutions to produce high quality effluents and product recovery. Prof. Soares research explores the underpinning science required to develop and manage bioreactors employing new biological organisms, cultures or pathways in order to develop or optimise technologies and deliver the circular economy. Her scientific findings have resulted in leading-edge processes and technological innovations that contribute, worldwide, to sustainable solutions for effluent treatment. She is particularly successful in bridging the gap between science and application, working in close collaboration with industrial and institutional stakeholders. Prof Soares is an IWA Fellow, active member of various national and international committees, the editor in chief of the Water and Environment Journal and associate editor for Water Research.

The Organiser/Chair of this event is:

Dr Yongqiang Liu, University of Southampton
Dr Yongqiang Liu is Lecturer in Environmental Engineering within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton. She has over 15 years of experience in academic R&D in the field of environmental engineering and biochemical engineering. Her principal areas of expertise comprise of both chemical and biological wastewater treatment, fermentation and thermochemical conversion of waste to energy. In wastewater treatment area, Dr. Liu has been studying on novel reactor design, mechanism study on biofilm formation, sludge microbial community, adsorption, nutrient removal and recovery, and hybrid systems for water reuse and recycling when treating municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, pharmaceutical wastewater and fats, oils and grease (FOG).

Tuesday, 17th November 2020 at 12:00pm – 1:30pm

This event is FREE-TO-MEMBERS. Register through Eventbrite here. Non-members are welcome – join the Network for free prior to registration. Alternatively, email Louise and Angie at: EBNet@EBNet.ac.uk.

In place of our Research Colloquium 2021, EBNet will be hosting a series of specialist webinars to support knowledge exchange amongst members. Register now to join the EBNet webinar “Biosensors and Environmental Monitoring – new developments in Environmental Biotech“. Hear the latest research from top speakers and participate in the online chat to engage with questions.

Featuring presentations from:

Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Horden, University of Bath

Title: Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Environment Fingerprinting for Public Health Assessment

Prof. Barbara Kasprzyk-Horden is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bath.
Research interests: environmental pollution; environmental epidemiology; water quality/treatment and analytical chemistry.
The principal research interests of our group fall into the three interrelated research areas of environmental, analytical and water sciences. We work in the area of water quality and novel technologies used to decrease contamination of water. Our recent interests focus on water fingerprinting to inform the state of the environment and public health.

Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University

Title: Paper-Origami Sensors for Rapid Testing Sewage for Early Warning of Pandemic

Zhugen is currently Lecturer in Sensor Technology and holds NERC Fellowship (2018-2021), heading up a UKCRIC-sponsored Sensors Laboratory at Cranfield University. Zhugen was a Lecturer at The University of Glasgow before joining Cranfield in 2019, and held Marie Curie Fellow at The University of Bath after a Postdoc at The University of Cambridge.

His multidisciplinary group is developing low-cost and point-of-use sensors (e.g. paper-origami device) for environmental science (e.g. microbial contamination, antimicrobial resistance), public health (e.g. drug of abuse, COVID-19 for wastewater-based epidemiology), and biomedical diagnostics (e.g. infectious disease). The device has been field-tested of infectious disease in India and malaria in Uganda, Africa. He is recently involved the UKRI funded project on national wastewater epidemiology surveillance programme (N-WESP) for COVID-19.

His research has been sponsored with over £2.5M from UKRI (EPSRC, NERC, BBSRC), Royal Academy of Engineering and industry, leading to over 50 peer-reviewed articles (PNAS, ACS Nano, ES&T, Water Res, Biosens Bioelectron, TrAC, Anal Chem, H=21). His work has been featured in Science and media coverages including BBC (BBC One, Science Action), Washington Post, Yahoo etc. He serves as editor of special issue on WBE for Elsevier journal “TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry”(IF 9.8), and editor of the book on Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry (Elsevier).

The Organiser/Chair of this event is:

Professor Fred Coulon, Cranfield University

Professor Coulon’s professional interests include: soil and water chemistry; fate and transport of chemicals in surface and subsurface waters; water and wastewater treatment; soil and sediment treatment; hazardous waste site remediation; energy and environment; population and environment; and public communication of environmental science and engineering. He has a track record in transdisciplinary research and he is recognised for his internationally leading contribution in Environmental Science and Bioengineering with a significant contribution towards the elucidation of chemical and biological processes in complex systems. His research has been supported by grants from industrial, government and Research Council sources, with core grant research support primarily being from NERC, EPSRC, Defra and EU. His work further influences policy development and provides pragmatic, risk-based solutions to remediate contaminated land. He has published numerous articles in leading environmental engineering and science journals; book chapters and articles for the popular press with substantive contributions to oil remediation, process emission and control at industrial sites and environmental risk management.

Tuesday, 3rd November 2020 at 12:00pm – 1:30pm

This event is FREE-TO-MEMBERS. Register through Eventbrite here. Non-members are welcome – join the Network for free prior to registration. Alternatively, email Louise and Angie at: EBNet@EBNet.ac.uk.

In place of our Research Colloquium 2021, EBNet will be hosting a series of specialist webinars to support knowledge exchange amongst members. Register now to join the EBNet webinar “Aerobic granules in wastewater treatment – combining novel molecular techniques and technologies for environmental biotech“. Hear the latest developments from top speakers and participate in the online chat to engage with questions.

Featuring presentations from:

Assistant Prof Zhiwu (Drew) Wang, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA
“Aerobic granules in continuous flow reactors for wastewater treatment”
Biography: Dr. Zhiwu (Drew) Wang is an assistant professor working in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). As a professional engineer stationed in the national capital region of the U.S, Dr. Wang’s academic footprint is firmly rooted in applied research world with almost all his experiments conducted in wastewater treatment plants. His diverse research portfolio covers continuous flow aerobic granulation, anaerobic digestion, energy and chemical efficient nutrient removal and recovery, as well as innovative methods for valorization of pollutants from the contaminated environments and waste materials such as wastewater, biosolids, food waste, animal manure, or plant biomass. He has been closely worked with utilities, consulting firms, and other research-intensive institutions to promote technology ideation, development, and transfer.

Professor Jeremy Webb, National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC), University of Southampton
“Molecular toolbox for the understanding and control of complex microbial consortia”
Biography: Jeremy Webb is a Professor of Microbiology with research expertise in understanding how complex microbial communities develop and disperse, their biology, physiology and life-cycle dynamics, and how they respond to environmental stresses including therapeutic compounds. He has worked to develop joint interdisciplinary strategies in research and innovation in order to advance technology development and to address the challenges relevant to biofilms. He co-founded the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC), a UK Research and Innovation cross-council (BBSRC and Innovate UK) Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC). This is a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary centre that represents a platform for academic and business connectivity accross the UK and internationally. NBIC is developing and supporting technologies and interventions for the control of microbial communities that are central to some of the most urgent societal challenges including water, food and energy security and safety, antimicrobial tolerance, and climate change.

The Organiser/Chair of this event is:

Dr Yongqiang Liu, University of Southampton
Dr Yongqiang Liu is Lecturer in Environmental Engineering within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton. She has over 15 years of experience in academic R&D in the field of environmental engineering and biochemical engineering. Her principal areas of expertise comprise of both chemical and biological wastewater treatment, fermentation and thermochemical conversion of waste to energy. In wastewater treatment area, Dr. Liu has been studying on novel reactor design, mechanism study on biofilm formation, sludge microbial community, adsorption, nutrient removal and recovery, and hybrid systems for water reuse and recycling when treating municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, pharmaceutical wastewater and fats, oils and grease (FOG).