Research Objectives
Biotechnologies that transform naturally renewable biomass feedstocks into valuable chemicals and materials - while minimizing water and energy consumption - have the potential to contribute to the circular "bio"economy and to significantly lower the carbon intensity of the Canadian manufacturing sector.
Production of biomaterials and biochemicals involves the transformation of renewable and recycled feedstocks into a cascade of products, from high to lower value, where each product and its residues are recycled and remanufactured to extract additional value, with energy recovery as the last stage.
CO2 is one such final product that is crucial to remanufacture. Using our expertise in enzyme, microbe, and microbial community engineering, we will develop collaborative research projects focusing on two key components of the circular bioeconomy: enzymatic CO2 fixation to new bioproducts and biological wastewater treatment. Both themes harness the power of microbial communities and their vast gene pool.
