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Dr S Huws, Dr j Gallagher
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Project Description
There is a need to replace products produced from the petro-chemical industry with those from renewable feedstocks to mitigate climate change and to help drive the bio-economy. The success of such enterprises is dependent on the development of enzymes capable of transforming platform molecules from biomass to products, in an economical and environmentally sustainable manner. In 2010 the global market for industrial enzymes was estimated at $3.3 billion and is expected to grow to $4.4 billion by 2015 (BCC Research, USA). Of this huge market, lipases are the fastest growing segment. Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which hydolyze triglycerides to free fatty acids and glycerol as well as having the ability to catalyse transesterification, aminolysis and acidolysis reactions. The current market value of lipases is $100 million, but the market is growing rapidly due to their emerging uses in the biorenewable area, in particular production of biodiesel and bioplastics.
We have recently identified a number of novel lipases from metagenomic libraries created from rumen bacteria. From these libraries 14 novel lipases/lipolytic esterases have been shown to exhibit interesting substrate specificities at a range of temperatures and pH conditions potentially useful for various biotechnological applications, including bioplastics (Prive et al., 2013a, 2013b; UK Patent Application No: 1216482.8 “Novel lipases” reference: P170841L-GB/GJL/CK). This project will continue the initial research and look at stability of these lipases and their ability to produce bioplastics and biodiesel. Recently, we have also made metagenomic libraries from blue ray limpet guts. These limpets feed predominantly on brown algae, which are rich sources of lipid and so these libraries will undoubtedly contain many as yet undiscovered lipases. This project aims to prospect these libraries for lipases using biochemical and informatics technologies. Identified enzymes will be characterised at both the genomic and biochemical level. Ultimately these enzymes will be evaluated for their ability to produce bioplastics and biodiesel.
Typically plastics (non-biodegradable) are produced synthetically. In recent years there has been a focus on producing biodegradable poly lactic acid (PLA) based polymers from environmentally friendly sources. The use of lipase-based polymerization offers an opportunity to produce PLA whilst avoiding heavy metal contamination issues. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is produced by esterification of fatty acids or transesterification of oils and fats with short chain alcohols. Drawbacks such as high energy requirements, difficulties in the recovery of the catalyst and glycerol as well as potential pollution to the environment are major disadvantages in alkali or acid catalyzed processes. Again lipases offer the potential to catalyze the reaction under milder conditions and thus producer ‘greener’ biodiesel.
This project involves; identifying, characterising and evaluating novel lipases for their utilization in the rapidly growing biorenewable industry. This is a unique opportunity for an outstanding student to gain skills in general microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry including enzymology, ‘omics’ methods, bioinformatics and mathematical biology, a desirable skill set for a future career in research.
Supervisors: Dr Sharon Huws (main supervisor), Dr Joe Gallagher and Dr Jessica Adams
Dr Sharon Huws: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/hnh/;
Dr Joe Gallagher: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/jbg/;
Dr Jessica Adams: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/jaa/;
BEACON: http://beaconwales.org/en/
"Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a First Class or Upper second class honours degree and/or a masters degree
(or equivalent) in a relevant subject."
We encourage prospective candidates to contact the lead supervisor Dr Sharon Huws [Email Address Removed]; 01970 823202;
Dr Sharon Huws: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/hnh/;
http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/opportunities-@-ibers/
There is a need to replace products produced from the petro-chemical industry with those from renewable feedstocks to mitigate climate change and to help drive the bio-economy. The success of such enterprises is dependent on the development of enzymes capable of transforming platform molecules from biomass to products, in an economical and environmentally sustainable manner. In 2010 the global market for industrial enzymes was estimated at $3.3 billion and is expected to grow to $4.4 billion by 2015 (BCC Research, USA). Of this huge market, lipases are the fastest growing segment. Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which hydolyze triglycerides to free fatty acids and glycerol as well as having the ability to catalyse transesterification, aminolysis and acidolysis reactions. The current market value of lipases is $100 million, but the market is growing rapidly due to their emerging uses in the biorenewable area, in particular production of biodiesel and bioplastics.
We have recently identified a number of novel lipases from metagenomic libraries created from rumen bacteria. From these libraries 14 novel lipases/lipolytic esterases have been shown to exhibit interesting substrate specificities at a range of temperatures and pH conditions potentially useful for various biotechnological applications, including bioplastics (Prive et al., 2013a, 2013b; UK Patent Application No: 1216482.8 “Novel lipases” reference: P170841L-GB/GJL/CK). This project will continue the initial research and look at stability of these lipases and their ability to produce bioplastics and biodiesel. Recently, we have also made metagenomic libraries from blue ray limpet guts. These limpets feed predominantly on brown algae, which are rich sources of lipid and so these libraries will undoubtedly contain many as yet undiscovered lipases. This project aims to prospect these libraries for lipases using biochemical and informatics technologies. Identified enzymes will be characterised at both the genomic and biochemical level. Ultimately these enzymes will be evaluated for their ability to produce bioplastics and biodiesel.
Typically plastics (non-biodegradable) are produced synthetically. In recent years there has been a focus on producing biodegradable poly lactic acid (PLA) based polymers from environmentally friendly sources. The use of lipase-based polymerization offers an opportunity to produce PLA whilst avoiding heavy metal contamination issues. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is produced by esterification of fatty acids or transesterification of oils and fats with short chain alcohols. Drawbacks such as high energy requirements, difficulties in the recovery of the catalyst and glycerol as well as potential pollution to the environment are major disadvantages in alkali or acid catalyzed processes. Again lipases offer the potential to catalyze the reaction under milder conditions and thus producer ‘greener’ biodiesel.
This project involves; identifying, characterising and evaluating novel lipases for their utilization in the rapidly growing biorenewable industry. This is a unique opportunity for an outstanding student to gain skills in general microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry including enzymology, ‘omics’ methods, bioinformatics and mathematical biology, a desirable skill set for a future career in research.
Supervisors: Dr Sharon Huws (main supervisor), Dr Joe Gallagher and Dr Jessica Adams
Dr Sharon Huws: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/hnh/;
Dr Joe Gallagher: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/jbg/;
Dr Jessica Adams: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/jaa/;
BEACON: http://beaconwales.org/en/
"Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a First Class or Upper second class honours degree and/or a masters degree
(or equivalent) in a relevant subject."
We encourage prospective candidates to contact the lead supervisor Dr Sharon Huws [Email Address Removed]; 01970 823202;
Dr Sharon Huws: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/staff/staff_profiles/hnh/;
http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/opportunities-@-ibers/
Funding Notes
This project is one available as part of the IBERS PhD Studentships initiative. This is an open competition.
Subsistenace rates will be in accordance with current Research Council rates.
Applications through PG Admissions - http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/howtoapply/ - please ensure that you enter the lead supervisors name under 'name of proposed research supervisor'.
Subsistenace rates will be in accordance with current Research Council rates.
Applications through PG Admissions - http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/howtoapply/ - please ensure that you enter the lead supervisors name under 'name of proposed research supervisor'.
References
References
Privé, Huws et al. (2013a) Environmental Microbiology. Invited resubmission under evaluation
Privé, Huws et al. (2013b).. Submitted to PLOS One
Privé, Huws et al. (2013a) Environmental Microbiology. Invited resubmission under evaluation
Privé, Huws et al. (2013b).. Submitted to PLOS One
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