Tuesday, 29 August 2023
Researchers from the University of Nottingham have joined forces with biotechnology company HydRegen for a project that will unlock sustainable biocatalytic hydrogenation – allowing the process to be scaled up and improved for industry use.
The focus of the feasibility study will be on the intensification of metallo-enzyme production and aims to lower the cost of production for three enzymes that are critical to the production of the chemical building block quininuclidinol, which is used in the production of many important drugs and other end-products.
Metallo-enzymes are exceptional tools for industrial biotechnology as they can carry out effectively a broad range of useful reactions. Their production however is more challenging than other enzymes and requires tailored research.
By validating the cost and sustainability metrics for quinuclidinol manufacture, a ‘license-ready' bio-based manufacturing route for quinuclidinol that meets the needs for reshoring key active pharmaceutical ingredients production can be produced.
Dr Simone Morra, Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham, said: “I started collaborating with HydRegen back in 2022 and I’m excited to continue working with them on this new project. My team and I have a deep expertise in novel hydrogenase enzymes that can cycle dihydrogen and hydrogen ions.
“These are the enzymes of interest to HydRegen due to their unusual balance in ease of production and ease of handling. We have the know-how and facilities in enzyme production spanning from early-stage academic research through to evaluation of scalable enzyme production in bioreactors to transfer to HydRegen as part of this collaboration for process intensification and scale up of metallo-enzyme production.
This is the third grant we’ve received to collaborate with HydRegen, showing that applying our academic research to an industrial setting can prove incredibly fruitful – and I look forward to seeing what this new study reveals.
Funded jointly by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Innovate UK, the teams will tackle the challenges in manufacturing readiness of current technologies, by intensifying and scaling enzyme production with a focus on applying it to a demonstrator process for quinuclidinol production.
Dr Rhiannon Evans, Head of Enzyme production and Molecular Biology at HydRegen, said: “We are excited to embark on this exciting project with Dr Simone Morra, and his team at the University of Nottingham."
Dr Morra's expertise in novel hydrogen cycling enzymes and cutting-edge knowledge will be a great asset in helping us to increase the manufacturing readiness for three of HydRegen’s critical metallo-enzymes and builds out our in-house research and development capabilities.
Dr Evans continued: "This has the potential to make a step-change in HydRegen’s ability to lower cost and increase scalability of hydrogenase production."
The BBSRC, EPSRC and Innovate UK are supporting 34 feasibility studies across the UK to develop and improve sustainable biomanufacturing. The programme aims to enhance UK global competitiveness by supporting research and innovation that focuses on developing new and disruptive sustainable biomanufacturing products and processes that will support UK biomanufacturing in becoming net zero and resource efficient, resilient, and responsive, technologically advanced and digital by 2050.
Story credits
More information is available from Simone Morra, Faculty of Engineering, at simone.morra@nottingham, or; Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 846 7156.
About the Faculty of Engineering
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).
With research at its heart, 21 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. Within those countries, the faculty’s research has supported 500 companies and three governments – that have changed their strategies as a result of its research – and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
About HydRegen:
HydRegen Ltd is pioneering a novel biotechnology that enables more sustainable chemical manufacture. At HydRegen, we are passionate about reducing the environmental impact of chemical manufacturing and committed to enabling companies across the chemicals sector to improve their energy and resource efficiency whilst moving towards continuous manufacturing processes.
https://hydregenoxford.com/
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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