IBERS to Play a Major Role in Industrial Biotechnology Project

Dr Joe Gallagher from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University, and Prof David Leak from the University of Bath, will direct one of the 13 unique industry-academic networks ‘A Network  of Integrated Technologies: Plants to Products’.

This network, which includes over 50 academic and industrial members, will provide a platform to bring together academic and industrial experts involved in innovation, manufacturing and supply chains within the industrial biotechnology sector.

It will focus on integrating entire bio-refining processes, from initial feedstock through to the generation and delivery of products. Feedstocks will include non-food crops and agricultural and industrial waste-streams.

The network will provide funding for small proof of concept projects that will address bottlenecks to commercialisation and will form the basis of bids into the next phase £45 million Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst funded by the BBSRC, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB).

Welcoming the announcement, Dr Gallagher said; “This is an exciting opportunity to bring together expertise and resources from both academia and business to support the bio-economy by addressing major challenges in industrial biotechnology.”

Dr Celia Caulcott, BBSRC Executive Director, Innovation and Skills, said: “These networks bring together a number of internationally competitive, cross-disciplinary communities capable of undertaking innovative research that will attract further investment from the UK and abroad.

“They provide a new opportunity for the research community to make significant contributions to the UK’s bioeconomy: driving transformational bioscience into industrial processes and products; creating wealth and jobs; and delivering environmental benefits, such as CO2 reduction.”