The ‘Amine synthesis through biocatalytic cascades’ (AMBIOCAS) programme brings together microbiologists, enzymologists, chemists, engineers and process development experts involved in research to develop the next generation of green manufacturing methods for the chemical industry.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The University of Manchester is leading a £2.2 million ( €2.56 Million ) project to develop new green chemical processes.
The ‘Amine synthesis through biocatalytic cascades’ ( AMBIOCAS ) programme brings together microbiologists, enzymologists, chemists, engineers and process development experts involved in research to develop the next generation of green manufacturing methods for the chemical industry.
Led by Professor Nick Turner, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Biocatalysis, Biotransformations and Biocatalytic Manufacture ( CoEBio3 ), the three-year project involves six partners from academia and industry.
Funded by the European Union FP7 programme, the project is expected to make a major contribution to efforts to replace traditional chemical manufacturing – reliant on highly toxic chemicals and solvents – with so-called ‘white biotechnology’, which employs the power of natural biocatalysts and modern manufacturing techniques to deliver safer and less environmentally damaging industrial methods.
White biotechnology is a term used mainly in Europe for the application of nature’s catalysts, such as enzymes and cells, in biotechnology for industrial purposes. The use of the world ‘white’ distinguishes it from other biotechnologies such as ‘red’ ( medicinal ) and ‘green’ ( plant ) biotechnology.
The term covers the manufacturing of chemicals, alternative energy and biomaterials and has the potential to enable economies to become less dependent on fossil fuels.
Partners involved in the project are:
* The University of Manchester-CoEBio3 ( United Kingdom ) led by Professor Nick Turner
* University of Graz ( Austria ) led by Professor Wolfgang Kroutil
* Denmark Technical University ( Denmark ) led by Professor John Woodley.
* Evonik DEGUSSA ( Germany ) led by Dr Jan Pfeffer.
* University of Groningen ( Netherlands ) led by Professor Bauke Dijkstra.
* CLEA Technologies ( Netherlands ) led by Professor Roger Sheldon.
Professor Nick Turner said: “I warmly welcome all the partners to the programme and congratulate them on helping put together a proposal that achieved a 100% score in the tough EU assessment process. I am confident that over the next three years we can deliver high quality results from this small but highly rated consortium.”
Notes for editors For more information please call Alex Waddington, Media Relations, The University of Manchester, Tel 0161 275 8387.
About CoEBio3: Based in the University of Manchester the CoEBio3 is the UK's leading research organisation, designed to provide a world-class scientific environment in which the necessary research and development can be carried out to create new biocatalyst-based processes to meet the changing needs of the chemical industry in the next 10-20 years.
CoEBio3 will train graduate and postdoctoral scientists such that they possess the necessary combination of skills in chemistry, biology and engineering needed to support these changes.
CoEBio3 has a dedicated pilot biomanufacturing facility, available to both academic and industrial groups. CoEBio3 supplies the research, training and development services to enable the application of white biotechnology to produce chemical entities with an applied "genes to kilos" philosophy. For more information see http://www.coebio3.manchester.ac.uk/
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