Environmental Biotechnology Network

Outcomes

EBNet carries out a range of activities and events. This section details outcomes of our funding awards. If you are interested in participating in one of our working groups, check them out here or if your area of interest is not covered, get in touch.

Details of our Proof of Concept (POC) projects, Business Interaction Vouchers (BIV) and associated press can be found below.

POC 2024 Call – Funded Projects

POC 2023 Call – Funded Projects

Publicly available summaries for POC projects awarded in 2023 are available here.

POC 2022 Call – Funded Projects

Publicly available summaries for all POC projects awarded in 2022 are available here.

POC 2021 Call – Funded Projects

Publicly available summaries for all POC projects awarded in 2021 are available here.

POC 2020 Call – Funded Projects

Publicly available summaries for all POC projects awarded in 2020 are available here.

BIV 2024 Call – Funded Projects

BIV 2021 Call – Funded Projects

Publicly available information for all BIV projects awarded in 2021 are available here.

BIV 2020 Call – Funded Projects

The following projects have been awarded funding in our EB Network BIV2020 Call.

Publicly available information for all BIV projects awarded in 2020 are available here.

EBNet BIV & POC project dissemination

POC Dissemination

CRISPR-enabled sensors for rapid monitoring of environmental contaminants By: Wang, Y., Pan, Y., Han, W., Rossi, C.S., Hui, Q., Guo, Y., Owoseni, M.C., McAdam, E., Yong, Y.C., Wang, B. and Yang, Z., 2024. In: TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, p.118128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2024.118128 [Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University, POC202214]

Targeted Enrichment of Nucleic Acid Bionic Arms Enhances the Hydrolysis Activity of Nanozymes for Degradation and Real-Time Monitoring of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Water By: Zhou, J., Xiong, D., Zhang, H., Xiao, J., Huang, R., Qiao, Z., Yang, Z. and Zhang, Z., 2025. In: Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c13849 [Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University, POC202214]

Progresses and challenges of engineering thermophilic acetogenic cell factories By: Bourgade, B. and Islam, M.A., 2024. In: Frontiers in Microbiology, 15, p.1476253. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1476253 [Dr Ahsan Islam, University of Loughborough, POC202311]

Challenges and opportunities for low-carbon remediation in the Niger Delta: towards sustainable environmental management” By: Azuazu, I.N., Sam, K., Campo, P. and Coulon, F., 2023. In: Science of the Total Environment, p.165739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165739 [Dr Tony Gutierrez, Heriot-Watt University, POC202008]

Efficacy of bioamendments in reducing the influence of salinity on the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil. By: Atai, E., Jumbo, R.B., Cowley, T., Azuazu, I., Coulon, F. and Pawlett, M., 2023. In:  Science of the Total Environment, 892, p.164720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164720 [Dr Tony Gutierrez, Heriot-Watt University, POC202008]

Bioengineering remediation of former industrial sites contaminated with chemical mixtures. By: Atai, E., Jumbo, R.B., Andrews, R., Cowley, T., Azuazu, I., Coulon, F. and Pawlett, M., 2023. In:  Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 10, p.100319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100319 [Dr Tony Gutierrez, Heriot-Watt University, POC202008]

Evaluating different soil amendments as bioremediation strategy for wetland soil contaminated by crude oil.By: Jumbo, R.B., Coulon, F., Cowley, T., Azuazu, I., Atai, E., Bortone, I. and Jiang, Y., 2022. In: Sustainability, 14(24), p.16568. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416568 [Dr Tony Gutierrez, Heriot-Watt University, POC202008]

Microbial Stratification and DOM Removal in Drinking Water Biofilters: Implications for Enhanced Performance. By: Xiang Shi, Ryan Pereira, Uzma, Laurie Savage, Baptiste Poursat, Dominic Quinn, Anastasiia Kostrytsia, Fabien Cholet, Cindy J Smith, Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, William T. Sloan, Umer Ijaz, Marta Vignola. In: Water Research. Available online 5 July 2024, 122053[Dr Marta Vignola, University of Glasgow, POC202106]

BODIPY-labeled estrogens for fluorescence analysis of environmental microbial degradation. By: Felion, C., Lopez-Gonzalez, R., Sewell, A. L., Marquez, R. and Gauchotte-Lindsay, C. In: ACS Omega, 7(45), pp. 41284-41295. (doi: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05002) (PMID:36406552). [Dr Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, University of Glasgow, POC202113]

Biohybrids: textile fibres provide scaffolds and highways for microbial translocation. By: Angela Sherry, Bruna Martins Dell’ Agnese, Jane Scott. In: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1188965. [Dr Angela Sherry, Northumbria University, Dr Jane Scott, Newcastle University, POC202015]

Environmental DNA clarifies impacts of combined sewer overflows on the bacteriology of an urban river and resulting risks to public health. By: Rixia Zan, Adrian Blackburn, Jidapa Plaimart, Kishor Acharya, Claire Walsh, Ross Stirling, Chris G. Kilsby, David Werner. In: Science of The Total Environment. Volume 889, 1 September 2023, 164282 [Professor David Werner, Newcastle University, POC202101].

Scientists examine whether microbes can clean up contaminated land, Aberdeen Evening Express, 15/01/21. Further articles in The Scottish Farmer (21/01/21), The Courier (15/01/21), The Herald (15/01/21) and STV News (15/01/21). Also, see the Heriot-Watt website. [Dr Tony Gutierrez, Heriot Watt University, POC202008].

EBNet grant success for Fibre Highways: translocation of the microbiome for pollutant bioremediation and Fibre highways for microbial travel Biotechnology in the Built Environment website, 22/10/20. Fibre Highways YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/vRs8D4A4J9M [Dr Angela Sherry, Northumbria University, Dr Jane Scott, Newcastle University, POC202015]

British Geological Survey partner with Arcadis in research programme to support brownfield development, BGS website press release, 15/10/20, [Dr Simon Gregory, British Geological Survey, POC202029] .

BIV Dissemination

Temperature Effects of MD on Municipal Wastewater Treatment in an Integrated Forward Osmosis and Membrane Distillation Process“. By: Almoalimi, K.; Liu, Y.-Q.; Booth, A.; Heo, S. In: Processes 2022, 10, 355. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020355 [Dr Yong-Qiang Liu, University of Southampton, BIV202004]

An exploratory study of the impact and potential of menstrual hygiene management waste in the UK“. By: L.A.G. Blair, Y. Bajón -Fernández, R. Villa. In: Cleaner Engineering and Technology. Volume 7, April 2022, 100435 [Dr Yadira Bajon Fernandez, Cranfield University, BIV202002]

A comprehensive comparison of microbial communities between aerobic granular sludge and flocculent sludge for nutrient removal in full-scale wastewater treatment plants By: Pincam, T., Liu, Y.Q., Booth, A., Wang, Y., Lan, G. and Zeng, P., 2024. In: Chemosphere, p.142644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142644 [Dr YongQiang Liu, University of Southampton, BIV202004]

Hydroxyapatite precipitation and accumulation in granules and its effects on activity and stability of partial nitrifying granules at moderate and high temperatures By: Liu, Y.Q. and Cinquepalmi, S., 2021. In: Processes, 9(10), p.1710. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/9/10/1710 [Dr Yong-Qiang Liu, University of Southampton, BIV202004]

Viewing menstrual waste as a resource, Turn and Flow blog with Dr Yadira Bajon Fernandez, Cranfield University [BIV202002].