Biotechnology

Innovation is crucial to fulfil the potential of industrial biotechnology for sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, materials, food and feed. Similarly, scientific and technological advances in environmental biotechnology are needed to enable novel approaches to water purification, and ‘waste-to-product’ processes thus contributing to a circular economy. Increased fundamental knowledge encompassing enzymes, microorganisms and processes are essential for progress in this field. The Department of Biotechnology covers this research area and, based on new insights, selects, designs and tests new biobased catalysts, micro-organisms, and processes.

The department encompasses five research sections:

20 March 2024

Jack Pronk receives the 2024 Novozymes Prize

The Novo Nordisk Foundation proudly announces Professor Jack Pronk as the recipient of the 2024 Novozymes Prize for his groundbreaking contributions to industrial biotechnology. His transformative research in yeast physiology and metabolic engineering has not only revolutionised biofuel and chemical production but has also provided critical solutions to longstanding challenges in sustainable bioprocesses. At the turn of the century, as the world faced the looming climate crisis spurred by fossil-fuel consumption, the importance of alternative fuels became increasingly apparent. Bioethanol emerged as a promising solution, yet its production from non-food sources posed significant challenges. “It had been a dream for decades to establish a biobased economy utilising microorganisms. An example is producing fuel ethanol from sugar using yeast, which efficiently converts glucose into ethanol. However, this approach was controversial because unlimited expansion could lead to competition with food production,” explains Jack Pronk, Professor and Head of the Department of Biotechnology at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. Although yeast could efficiently turn sugars from fruits and other edible sources into bioethanol, the metabolism of sugars from agricultural waste streams posed a critical hurdle for economical bioethanol conversion, since traditional yeast strains struggled to utilise pentose sugars, which are abundant in agricultural residues. In a groundbreaking collaboration with fellow microbiologist Huub Op den Camp from Radboud University Nijmegen, Jack Pronk discovered a potential solution in an unlikely source – the anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2, isolated from the faeces of an Indian elephant. This fungus harboured a xylose isomerase gene that held the key to unlocking the pentose challenge. “The result initiated years of research, increasingly involving collaboration with the company DSM,” states Jack Pronk. “Through this process, baker’s yeast was adapted for processing pentose sugars from agricultural waste streams.” “Jack Pronk is one of Europe’s foremost leaders in innovative, sustainable biotechnology using microbes for environmentally friendly conversion of waste streams into biofuels and fine chemicals. The fundamental research and the knowledge generated about the functioning of yeast and fungi from Jack Pronk’s laboratory has been the basis for a wide range of commercial applications with clear societal impact, as demonstrated by their full-scale industrial implementation. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is proud to recognise Jack Pronk’s excellence in research with the 2024 Novozymes Prize,” says Professor Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. By 2010, the modified yeast could efficiently convert the most important sugars from plant residues into ethanol, paving the way for sustainable biofuel production technologies. Despite setbacks in large-scale implementation, Jack Pronk believes that the production of ethanol from agricultural residues will make a comeback. Ethanol is not only useful as a transport fuel but also as a precursor for compounds ranging from ethylene to aviation fuel. “I do see a future for ethanol, produced by low-emission technologies, as a generic feedstock for production of food protein, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. There is huge potential for its production from agricultural residues. I am convinced that genetically modified microorganisms, be they yeasts, bacteria or fungi, will enable cost-effective and sustainable ethanol production from these feedstocks.” The 2024 Novozymes Prize therefore celebrates Professor Jack Pronk’s exceptional contributions to industrial biotechnology, highlighting his innovative solutions to longstanding challenges and his enduring commitment to sustainable bioprocesses. His work exemplifies the transformative potential of biotechnology in addressing global challenges and building a more sustainable future. “The advances Jack Pronk has made, especially with using yeast, are based on exceptionally deep knowledge of physiology and metabolism, rooted in rigorous fundamental research. His superb understanding of how a yeast cell operates has directly translated into Jack being able to exploit yeast cells as industrial-level factories for producing fuels and chemicals. He clearly is a world leader in industrial biotechnology and fermentation science, with a specific focus on developing sustainable bioprocesses that help to reduce waste streams and carbon footprint,” concludes Professor Detlef Weigel, Chair of the Committee on the Novozymes Prize. About Professor Jack Pronk 1986 MSc in biology (cum laude), Leiden University 1991 PhD in microbial physiology, TU Delft 1991-1999 Assistant Professor, TU Delft 1999- Professor of Industrial Microbiology, TU Delft 2002-2013 Co-founder and Scientific Director, Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation 2015 Fellow of the American Society of Microbiology 2015 Professor of Excellence Award, TU Delft 2018 International Metabolic Engineering Award 2019- Head of the Department of Biotechnology, TU Delft 2020 Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences 2021 Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion About the Novozymes Prize The Novozymes Prize recognises outstanding research or technology contributions that benefit the development of biotechnological science for innovative solutions. The Prize is awarded annually and is intended to further raise awareness of basic and applied biotechnology research. The Prize is accompanied by DKK 5 million (€672,000) and comprises a DKK 4.5 million (€605,000) research grant and a personal award of DKK 0.5 million (€67,000). The Foundation will award an additional DKK 0.5 million for hosting an international symposium within the recipient’s field(s) of research. Further information TU Delft: Charlotte de Kort, Communications Manager TNW, +31 (0)6 140 15 135, c.g.w.dekort@tudelft.nl Novo Nordisk Foundation: Christian Mostrup, Senior Lead, Corporate Affairs, +45 3067 4805, cims@novo.dk Prof. Jack Pronk Head of department / Full professor +31 15 2783214 j.t.pronk@tudelft.nl Room number: B58.C1.080

09 November 2023

Are Sustainability and Safety Incompatible?

In the world of biotechnology, safety and sustainability might sometimes be at odds. When conflicts arise, decision-makers must carefully weigh the trade-offs, addressing potential risks and ethical concerns in order to make informed choices. According to two TU Delft professors, safety and sustainability need to go hand in hand to ensure that biotechnological processes and products are developed and managed responsibly. text Heather Montague Risks and responsibilities With the rise of the circular economy, finding ways to use waste for other purposes has become a hot topic. But there are risks involved, says Lotte Asveld , Associate Professor of Ethics & Biotechnology at TU Delft. “People have high standards when it comes to using wastes as resources. Anything that comes out of the sewer doesn’t feel very comfortable to have in your house.” In that sense, she sees a clash between sustainability and safety but also believes they should be combined. “We can’t make everything 100% safe, but we should look towards what risks people find acceptable.” Societal acceptance of using waste as a resource requires that regulations and responsibilities be well aligned. We also need to reevaluate the way we learn about risks, according to Asveld. She notes that biotechnology is strictly regulated, but in the chemical industry, companies themselves are responsible for learning about and identifying risks. “As new risky substances keep emerging, what needs to happen in the innovation ecosystem to make sure that these responsibilities have a place?” Learning about these risks is not always an inherent part of a company’s structure and that needs to change. “My objective is to make sure that safety is something that we talk about, that we don’t take for granted, that we discuss amongst each other; what does it mean, how can we achieve it, and how do we see our responsibility to society and achieving safety?” The future is green The term ‘green chemistry’ was introduced some thirty years ago, according to Ulf Hanefeld , Professor of Biotechnology at TU Delft’s Faculty of Applied Sciences. The aim is to enable society to make what is currently made, or alternatives, in a sustainable and safe manner. “So how can I make the compounds that we as a society think we need in a sustainable manner, starting from readily available materials, performing reactions that are inherently safe,” says Hanefeld. “For me, safety and sustainability go hand in hand.” There are advantages and opportunities that come along with green chemistry. If you take all the starting materials, make only products out of it and don’t generate any waste, that results in higher profit. And there is also an opportunity to develop a new chemistry. “Consider that our current chemistry always starts from petrochemicals, which are very low in terms of functionality,” Hanefeld explains. “If you use sustainable materials like sugars or lignin or plant waste, that is always highly functionalised. Because we have a new type of starter material, we’re doing it all new, and it is a chance to develop it safe from the start. Download article Download article

News

30 April 2020

Investment of 14 million for better use of micro-organisms

Microorganisms can perform many processes useful to mankind, such as converting milk to cheese, keeping human and animal intestines healthy, and cleaning our water and environment. Together with Wageningen University & Research and Delft University of Technology, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) will invest almost 25 million euros in a research facility for investigating mixed microbial communities and their application. The research facility – called UNLOCK (UNLOCKing Microbial Diversity for Society) - consists of equipment and human resources that will be used to gather knowledge on micro-organisms effectively. Team-players Micro-organisms are natural team-players. They are essential for human health via the intestinal microbiome, and for processes like waste water treatment, soil fertilization for plant growth, and food preparation such as cheese or beer through fermentation. However, even though natural and man-made ecosystems are characterized by an enormous microbial diversity, research on microbial communities and their application in biotechnological processes historically has been conducted with a very limited number of strains isolated from these ecosystems. We are currently using no more than 1 per cent of the microbiological potential available in nature Ecosystem Besides that, research on micro-organisms usually focuses on a limited number of specific strains of organisms, while in nature micro-organisms always operate in ecosystems consisting of different species. ‘You could compare it to building a house’, says Robbert Kleerebezem, who is the Delft scientist involved in the project. ‘To build one, you need different experts, like masons, roofers, electricians and plumbers. You can pick out any one of them, and study what they are doing, but that won’t tell you anything about what the resulting house will look like.’ Eagerly awaited Wageningen and Delft have launched the new research facility UNLOCK to study mixed microbial cultures extensively. Various sub-areas of research will be integrated through UNLOCK. This development has been eagerly awaited by researchers studying mixed microbial communities. This integration will make significant scientific and societal breakthroughs possible. NWO's approval will make a 14.5 million euro funding available for the next decade, of which a third will go to TU Delft. Automated cultivation of ecosystems "In Delft we will be working on making automated systems in which we can cultivate ecosystems of micro-organisms in mixed compositions, and monitor them’, says Kleerebezem. ‘This makes UNLOCK a unique facility, because we will be able to do comparative studies on a large scale and in an efficient manner, in order to gain important insights into the interactions between micro-organisms’. New persepectives A total of 24.8 million euros will be invested in UNLOCK. Lead petitioner, Prof. Hauke Smidt is delighted with the approval. ‘This is fantastic. UNLOCK opens up entirely new perspectives for the discovery of new micro-organisms and ground-breaking research on mixed microbial communities’. UNLOCKing Microbial Diversity for Society In UNLOCK, Wageningen and Delft have joined forces towards full integration of all relevant fields of expertise in four complementary platforms: · The Biodiscovery platform (WUR-Microbiology) allows its users to discover and characterize new micro-organisms. In addition, there is a processing unit that allows for fully automated unlocking of biological samples for biomolecular analysis. · The Modular bioreactor platform (WUR-Environmental Technology) facilitates research for sustainable solutions to environmental issues, such as the degradation of (micro) pollutants, sustainable energy generation and reclaiming resources from complex waste streams. · With the Parallel Bioreactor platform (TU Delft -Biotechnology), users can simultaneously conduct dozens of experiments in bioreactors for comparative analysis on how process variables affect system development. · The FAIR data platform (WUR-Systems & Synthetic Biology) takes care of the storage, processing and interpretation of large quantities of data flowing from the experimental systems in a cloud-based infrastructure based on the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Large-scale Scientific Infrastructure NWO has allocated a total of 93 million euros to seven projects. The Ministry of Culture and Education makes funds available to NWO for the National Roadmap for a Large-scale Scientific Infrastructure. These funds enable the building and overhaul of essential research infrastructures. The awarded scientific infrastructures are of critical importance to innovative scientific research, and as a stimulus for economic and societal innovations across all scientific disciplines. Robbert Kleerebezem +31 15 2781091 r.kleerebezem@tudelft.nl