Research

Biocatalyst Engineering

Immobilization techniques enhance biocatalyst stability and facilitate its recovery from the reaction medium, enabling its reuse over multiple reaction cycles. Furthermore, these techniques can modulate enzyme catalytic activity and selectivity, which are key attributes for the industrial application of enzymes as process catalysts.

Biocatalysis in Alternative Solvents

Biocatalysis in alternative solvents expands the potential application of enzymes in synthetic reactions for the production of a wide range of compounds. These reaction media include conventional organic solvents, ionic liquids (ILs), deep eutectic solvents (DESs), and bio-based solvents such as Cyrene™. Conventional organic solvents may pose environmental and safety concerns because of their toxicity and volatility, whereas ILs, DESs, and bio-based solvents offer promising alternatives for developing more sustainable bioprocesses. Several enzymes have demonstrated considerable stability and catalytic activity in these media. Their combination with robust biocatalysts, particularly immobilized or engineered enzymes, therefore, represents a promising strategy for developing novel and sustainable bioprocesses.

Bioprocess Intensification and Integration

Process intensification and integration are fundamental strategies for developing efficient bioprocesses encompassing the entire production chain, from raw-material preparation to final-product recovery. Process intensification aims to maximize productivity while reducing equipment footprint and promoting the efficient use of energy and raw materials. Bioprocess integration, meanwhile, focuses on coordinating the different stages of the process, including feedstock conditioning before the reaction stage and the subsequent separation and purification of the final products. These downstream operations often account for a substantial proportion of the overall production costs.