Environmental Biotechnology Network

Outcomes

The EBNetwork carries on a number 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 out current working groups here or if your interest area is not covered, apply for one here.

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

POC 2024 Call – Funded Projects

  • Elucidating mechanisms of bacterial adsorption to biochar by 3D X-ray image analysis – Dr Meredith Rose Barr, London South Bank University
  • Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations for assessing biodegradation of PFAS – Dr Tao Lyu, Cranfield University

POC 2023 Call – Funded Projects

  • Simultaneous Bioremediation of Nutrient Pollution and Carbon Fixation Through a Novel, Integrated Anammox and Acetogens-Based Bio-Electrochemical System – Dr Ahsan Islam, University of Loughborough

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

POC 2022 Call – Funded Projects

  • Mitigating N2O emission from wastewater treatment processes – Dr Bing Guo, University of Surrey
  • Pure biomethane – rather than biogas – from a single waste stream – Dr Elizabeth Heidrich, Newcastle University
  • CRISPR/Cas-enabled paper-based sensors for rapid monitoring of antimicrobial resistance – Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University

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

POC 2021 Call – Funded Projects

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

POC 2020 Call – Funded Projects

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

BIV 2021 Call – Funded Projects

• Bioleaching application for the recovery of Minor and Rare Earth Metals from Complex Nickel Alloys Dust – Professor Sebastien Farnaud, Coventry University / Advanced Alloy Services Ltd.
• Sludge dewaterability: improved tools for the emerging biotech industries, Dr Yue Zhang, University of Southampton / Triton Electronics Ltd.

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

BIV 2020 Call – Funded Projects

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

  • Determination of microbial communities of laboratory anaerobic digestion tanks and impact of the CreChar additive on the microbial community dynamicsProf James Chong, University of York/Dr Adam Ostrowski, Carbogenics Ltd
  • Understanding anaerobic biodegrability of organic menstrual care products: technical feasibility and sector receptivityDr Yadira Bajon Fernandez, Cranfield University/Kimberley Dobney, Turn and Flow
  • Meeting the nutrient neutrality challenge using newly developed biological technologyDr Yonqiang Liu, University of Southampton/Adam White, Plantwork Systems Ltd

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

EBNet BIV & POC project dissemination

POC Dissemination

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 YongQiang 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. BajĂłn -Fernández, R. Villa. In: Cleaner Engineering and Technology. Volume 7, April 2022, 100435 [Dr Yadira Bajon Fernandez, Cranfield University, BIV202002]

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