Biocatalysis is a process that uses enzymes as natural catalysts to carry out chemical reactions. Scientists at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and AstraZeneca have developed a new biocatalytic pathway that uses enzymes to produce nucleoside analogues, which are vital components in many pharmaceuticals used to treat conditions like cancer and viral infections.

Typically, producing these analogues is complicated, time consuming and generates significant waste. However, in a new breakthrough, published in the journal , the researchers have demonstrated how a "biocatalytic cascade" 鈥� a sequence of enzyme-driven reactions 鈥� can simplify the process, potentially cutting down production time and reducing environmental impact.

The researchers engineered an enzyme called deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase, enhancing its range of functions to efficiently produce different sugar-based compounds, which serve as building blocks for nucleoside-based medicines, such as oligonucleotide therapeutics. These building blocks were combined using additional enzymes to develop a condensed protocol for the synthesis of nucleoside analogues which simplifies the traditional multi-step process to just two or three stages, significantly improving efficiency.

With further refinement, this method could help streamline the production of a wide range of medicines, while significantly reducing their environmental footprint. The team are now continuing this work with the MRC funded , which looks to develop sustainable biocatalytic routes towards functionalised nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides.

The Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy (CIRCLE) UK team will be led by Dr , Reader is Sustainable Biotechnology at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, alongside a team of international academics. Also part of the project are Professors and , and Drs , and Micaela Chacon.

CIRCLE aims to address the global challenge of anthropogenic waste by closing the loop and using it as a feedstock for the chemicals industry. Much of the waste produced by society is a rich source of carbon, a building block for many important chemicals and materials found in everyday products such as plastics, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. CIRCLE will identify and employ novel biotechnological processes to break down this waste into its chemical components and avoid the need for virgin petrochemical feedstocks.

This project will bring together academic expertise from across the globe, including the US, Canada and South Korea.

The 2024 Global Centres awards focus on advancing bioeconomy research to solve global challenges, whether by increasing crop resilience, converting plant matter or other biomass into fuel, or paving the way for biofoundries to scale-up applications of biotechnology for societal benefit.  The programme supports holistic, multidisciplinary projects that bring together international teams and scientific disciplines, including education and social sciences, necessary to achieve use-inspired outcomes. All Global Centres will integrate public engagement and workforce development, paying close attention to impacts on communities.

鈥淎longside replacing fossil fuels, there is an urgent need to replace petrochemical industrial feedstocks across a wide range of sectors. This is a global challenge that requires global solutions and UKRI is delighted to be partnering in the NSF Global Centres 2024 programme to meet this need鈥�, said UKRI CEO, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser. 鈥淭he announcement today will be at the forefront of real-world solutions, from improved recycling to new bioplastics, building a sustainable circular economy. The centres will create the global networks and skills needed to drive a thriving bioeconomy benefitting all.鈥�

These findings have the potential to accelerate the discovery of novel, more efficient cryoprotectants - and may also allow for the repurposing of molecules already known to slow or stop ice growth.

Professor Matthew Gibson, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淢y team has spent more than a decade studying how ice-binding proteins, found in polar fish, can interact with ice crystals, and we鈥檝e been developing new molecules and materials that mimic their activity. This has been a slow process, but collaborating with Professor Sosso has revolutionized our approach. The results of the computer model were astonishing, identifying active molecules I never would have chosen, even with my years of expertise. This truly demonstrates the power of machine learning.鈥�

The full paper can be read .

Sugars play a crucial role in human health and disease, far beyond being just an energy source. Complex sugars called glycans coat all our cells and are essential for healthy function. However, these sugars are often hijacked by pathogens such as influenza, Covid-19, and cholera to infect us.

One big problem in treating and diagnosing diseases and infections is that the same glycan can bind to many different proteins, making it hard to understand exactly what鈥檚 happening in the body and has made it difficult to develop precise medical tests and treatments.

In a breakthrough, published in the journal , a collaboration of academic and industry experts in Europe, including from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and the University of Leeds, have found a way to create unnatural sugars that could block the pathogens.

The finding offers a promising avenue to new drugs and could also open doors in diagnostics by 鈥榗apturing鈥� the pathogens or their toxins.

, a researcher from at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said 鈥淒uring the Covid-19 pandemic, our team introduced the first lateral flow tests which used sugars instead of antibodies as the 鈥榬ecognition unit鈥�. But the limit is always how specific and selective these are due to the promiscuity of natural sugars. We can now integrate these fluoro-sugars into our biosensing platforms with the aim of having cheap, rapid, and thermally stable diagnostics suitable for low resource environments.鈥�

Professor Bruce Turnbull, a lead author of the paper from the School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology at The University of Leeds, said 鈥淕lycans that are really important for our immune systems, and other biological processes that keep us healthy, are also exploited by viruses and toxins to get into our cells. Our work is allowing us to understand how proteins from humans and pathogens have different ways of interacting with the same glycan. This will help us make diagnostics and drugs that can distinguish between human and pathogen proteins.鈥�

The researchers used a combination of enzymes and chemical synthesis to edit the structure of 150 sugars by adding fluorine atoms. Fluorine is very small meaning that the sugars keep their same 3D shape, but the fluorines interfere with how proteins bind them.

, a researcher from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said 鈥淥ne of the key technologies used in this work is biocatalysis, which uses enzymes to produce the very complex and diverse sugars needed for the library. Biocatalysis dramatically speeds up the synthetic effort required and is a much more green and sustainable method for producing the fluorinated probes that are required.鈥�

They found that some of the sugars they prepared could be used to detect the cholera toxin 鈥� a harmful protein produced by bacteria 鈥� meaning they could be used in simple, low-cost tests, similar to lateral flow tests, widely used for pregnancy testing and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Kristian Hollie, who led production of the fluoro-sugar library at the University of Leeds, said: 鈥淲e used enzymes to rapidly assemble fluoro-sugar building blocks to make 150 different versions of a biologically important glycan. We were surprised to find how well natural enzymes work with these chemically modified sugars, which makes it a really effective strategy for discovering molecules that can bind selectively.鈥�

The study provides evidence that the artificial 鈥渇luoro-sugars鈥� can be used to fine-tune pathogen or biomarker recognition or even to discover new drugs. They also offer an alternative to antibodies in low-cost diagnostics, which do not require animal tests to discover and are heat stable.

The research team included researchers from eight different universities, including 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Imperial College London, Leeds, Warwick, Southampton, York, Bristol, and Ghent University in Belgium.

The breakthrough, published in the journal , could significantly improve accessibility of essential protein-based drugs in developing countries where cold storage infrastructure may be lacking, helping efforts to diagnose and treat more people with serious health conditions.

The researchers, from the Universities of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Glasgow and Warwick, have designed a hydrogel 鈥� a material mostly made of water 鈥� that stabilises proteins, protecting its properties and functionality at temperatures as high as 50掳C.

The technology keeps proteins so stable that they can even be sent through the post with no loss of effectiveness, opening up new possibilities for more affordable, less energy-intensive methods of keeping patients and clinics supplied with vital treatments.

Protein therapeutics are used to treat a range of conditions, from cancer to diabetes and most recently to treat obesity and play a vital role in modern medicine and biotechnology. However, keeping them stable and safe for storage and transportation is a challenge. They must be kept cold to prevent any deterioration, using significant amounts of energy and limiting equitable distribution in developing countries.

The medicines also often include additives 鈥� called excipients 鈥� which must be safe for the drug and its recipients limiting material options.

The findings could have major implications for the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries.

, is one of the paper鈥檚 corresponding authors. He said: 鈥淚n the early days of the Covid vaccine rollout, there was a lot of attention given in the news media to the challenges of transporting and storing the vaccines, and how medical staff had to race to put them in people鈥檚 arms quickly after thawing.  

鈥淭he technology we鈥檝e developed marks a significant advance in overcoming the challenges of the existing 鈥榗old chain鈥� which delivers therapeutic proteins to patients. The results of our tests have very encouraging results, going far beyond current hydrogel storage techniques鈥� abilities to withstand heat and vibration. That could help create much more robust delivery systems in the future, which require much less careful handling and temperature management.鈥�

The hydrogel is built from a material called a low molecular weight gelator (LMWG), which forms a three-dimensional network of long, stiff fibres. When proteins are added to the hydrogel, they become trapped in the spaces between the fibres, where they are unable to mix and aggregate 鈥� the process which limits or prevents their effectiveness as medicines.

The unique mechanical properties of the gel鈥檚 network of fibres, which are stiff but also brittle, ensures the easy release of a pure protein. When the protein-storing gel is stored in an ordinary syringe fitted with a special filter, pushing down on the plunger provides enough pressure to break the network of fibres, releasing the protein. The protein then passes cleanly through the filter and out the tip of the syringe alongside a buffer material, leaving the gel behind.

In the paper, the researchers show how the hydrogel works to store two valuable proteins: insulin, used to treat diabetes, and beta-galactosidase, an enzyme with numerous applications in biotechnology and life sciences.

Ordinarily, insulin must be kept cold and still, as heating or shaking can prevent it from being an effective treatment. The team tested the effectiveness of their hydrogel suspension for insulin by warming samples to 25掳C and rotating them at 600 revolutions per minute, a strain test far beyond any real-world scenario. Once the tests were complete, the team were able to recover the entire volume of insulin from the hydrogel, showing that it had been protected from its rough treatment.

The team then tested samples of beta-galactosidase in the hydrogel, which was stored at a temperature of 50掳C for seven days, a level of heat exceeding any realistic temperature for real-world transport. Once the enzyme was extracted from the hydrogel, the team found it retained 97% of its function compared against a fresh sample stored at normal temperature.

A third test saw the team put samples of proteins suspended in hydrogel into the post, where they spent two days in transit between locations. Once the sample arrived at its destination, the team鈥檚 analysis showed that the gels鈥� structures remained intact and the proteins had been entirely prevented from aggregating.

is the paper鈥檚 other corresponding author. He said: 鈥淒elivering and storing proteins intact is crucial for many areas of biotechnology, diagnostics and therapies. Recently, it has emerged that hydrogels can be used to prevent protein aggregation, which allows them to be kept at room temperature, or warmer. However, separating the hydrogel components from the protein or proving that they are safe to consume is not always easy. Our breakthrough eliminates this barrier and allows us to store and distribute proteins at room temperature, free from any additives, which is a really exciting prospect.鈥�

The team are now exploring commercial opportunities for this patent-pending technology as well as further demonstrating its applicability. 

Researchers from the University of East Anglia and Diamond Light Source Ltd also contributed to the research. The team鈥檚 paper, titled 鈥楳echanical release of homogenous proteins from supramolecular gels鈥�, is published in Nature.

The research was supported by funding from the European Union鈥檚 Horizon 2020 programme, the European Research Council, the Royal Society, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the University of Glasgow and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The centre has been awarded 拢1.2m through an International Centre to Centre grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation. Led by Professor , Interim Director of the MIB, along with Professor and Dr , and in partnership with Professor David Baker from the Institute of Protein Design (IPD) at the University of Washington, ICED will employ the latest deep-learning protein design tools to accelerate the development of new biocatalysts for use across the chemical industry. The centre will deliver customised biocatalysts for sustainable production of a wide range of chemicals and biologics, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials, commodity chemicals and advanced synthetic fuels.

Biocatalysis uses natural or engineered enzymes to speed up valuable chemical processes. This technology is now widely recognised as a key enabling technology for developing a greener and more efficient chemical industry. Although powerful, existing experimental methods for developing industrial biocatalysts are costly and time-consuming, and this restricts the potential impact of biocatalysis on many industrial processes. Furthermore, for many desirable chemical transformations there are no known enzymes that can serve as starting templates for experimental engineering. In ICED we will bring together leading computational and experimental teams from across academia and industry to bring about a step-change in the speed of biocatalyst development. The approaches developed will also allow the development of new families of enzymes with catalytic functions that are unknown in nature.

Professor David Baker, lead researcher from the Institute of Protein Design says; 鈥淎ccurately designing efficient enzymes with new catalytic functions is one of the grand challenges for the protein design field. We are thrilled to be working with Professor Green and his team in the MIB to address this crucial biotechnological challenge.鈥欌��

The design tools developed throughout the project will be readily available to specialists and non-specialists to support their own enzyme engineering and biocatalysis needs. As the centre develops, we expect to grow our partnerships with the wider academic and industrial sector to ensure that we can best serve the needs and ambitions of the global biocatalysis community.

With the chemical and pharmaceutical industries contributing 拢30.7bn to the UK economy alone, technologies like biocatalysis are poised to revolutionise how every day, essential products are made while also benefitting our health and our environment.

The project leverages a 拢5 million investment from the 鈥檚 Place-Based Impact Acceleration Account to stimulate innovation and commercial growth. The IBIC will give businesses and start-ups a platform to engage with higher education institutions, governmental organisations and researchers in the north-west, and support translating fundamental biotechnology research from the lab to the real world.   

The IBIC launches at a significant time for the UK鈥檚 biotechnology market. The UK Government鈥檚 on biotechnology and signal increasing interest in the sector, which was valued at 拢21.8billion in 2023, according to IBISWorld.

Professor Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: "Combine academic research with industrial application, and together we can yield transformative outcomes for both our economy and environment.

鈥淲ith the launch of the IBIC, we are inviting businesses and startups to join us as we take on global challenges like climate change and sustainability. To do that, we need to create a vibrant ecosystem of interconnected disciplines to help scale businesses, bring research to life and ultimately deliver huge economic benefits to the north-west and beyond.鈥�

This invitation extends particularly to SMEs, high-growth biotech companies, and other businesses interested in contributing to and benefiting from a thriving biotechnology industry in the north-west.

Companies interested in participating or learning more about the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst can contact the IBIC team at ibic@manchester.ac.uk for more information and to discuss potential collaboration and partnership opportunities.

鈥楾ales From The Past鈥�, created in partnership with 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 leading independent brewery Cloudwater Brew Co, celebrates the University鈥檚 200th anniversary and will be launched at its bicentenary festival, where it will be available to buy from the festival bar.

Supported by a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) grant, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team crossed Saccharomyces jurei, a new species of yeast discovered by Delneri in 2017, with a common ale yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisae, to produce a new starter hybrid strain that enhances the aroma and flavour of the beer.

This new hybrid has several advantages over similar brewing yeasts; it has the ability to thrive at lower temperatures, adds a different flavour profile, and is able to ferment maltose and maltotriose, two abundant sugars present in the wort. These capabilities provide a range of new opportunities for brewers, with the potential for a multitude of hybrids with different fermentation characteristics.

Paul Jones, CEO of Cloudwater Brew Co, said; 鈥淚t is exciting to be able to brew a beer with a brand new species of yeast and to explore the range of flavours we can create. This beer represents the possibilities of joining academia with industry and we are lucky to have access to this fount of knowledge right on our doorstep.鈥�

The University team has also been developing new hybridisation techniques. Typically, yeast hybrids grow by budding, where a new cell grows from an original 鈥榩arent鈥�, but they are sterile. Now, using a genetic method which doubles the content of the hybrid genome, researchers have overcome infertility allowing the creation of future hybrid generations with diverse traits. These offspring can then be screened for desirable biotechnological characteristics, allowing the team to select and combine beneficial traits from different yeast species using multigenerational breeding.

As yeasts play a major role in many industrial biotechnology applications, different hybrids bred in this way pave the way for creating bespoke microbial factories that can be used to create sustainable products.

As well as their familiar roles in brewing and baking, scientists use yeasts as model organisms to study how cells work. This role has placed them at the forefront of engineering biology, an emerging area of science that seeks to use nature鈥檚 own biological mechanisms to replace current, unsustainable industrial processes. As a result, the team鈥檚 novel yeast could lead to future breakthroughs in new, green pharmaceuticals and more sustainable fuels.

To launch the beer and share more about her pioneering work, Professor Delneri will give a talk at the Universally 黑料网吃瓜爆料 festival on Friday 7 June at 5.45pm. Tickets can be

The bid was delivered by a coordination team, which includes and from the University and has secured 拢49.35m from the UKRI Infrastructure Fund to establish C-MASS - a national hub-and-spoke infrastructure designed to integrate and advance the country鈥檚 capability in mass spectrometry.

Mass spectrometry is a central analytical technique that quantifies and identifies molecules by measuring their mass and charge. It is used across science and medicine, for drug discovery, to screen all newborn babies for the presence of metabolic disorders, to monitor pollution and to tell us what compounds are in the tails of comets.

Researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 develop and apply mass spectrometry in many of its research centres and institutes, including the , the , , , the , and the

C-MASS will enable rapid methodological advances, by developing consensus protocols to allow population level screening of health markers and accelerated data access and sharing. It will bring together cutting-edge instrumentation at a range of laboratories connected by a coordinating central hub that will manage a central metadata catalogue. Together, this will provide unparalleled signposting of data and will be a critical measurement science resource for the UK.

The bid for the funding has been developed over the last 10 years and has included input and support from more than 40 higher education institutes, 35 industrial partners and numerous research institutes.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is renowned for its expertise in mass spectrometry. J.J. Thomson, who was an alumnus of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, built the first mass spectrometer - originally called a parabola spectrograph - in 1912. Later, another alumnus, James Chadwick, commissioned the first commercial mass spectrometer, built by the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 firm Metropolitan Vickers, for use in the second world war to separate radioactive isotopes.

Now, many decades later, the University receives more funding in mass spectrometry than any other higher education institution in the UK and more mass spectrometers are made in the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 region than any other in Europe.

At the University, researchers across a range of disciplines including , , use mass spectrometry for wide range of world-leading research. Just some of those projects include: , improving the testing and diagnosis of womb cancer, improving our understanding of Huntington鈥檚 disease and rheumatic heart disease, diagnosing Parkinson鈥檚 disease and finding treatments for blindness.

The mass spectrometry laboratories at the University boast a range of industry-leading instrumentations, not just for staff and students, but also collaborating with many external companies. 

The awards celebrate outstanding women post-doctoral scientists, and forms part of the L鈥橭r茅al-UNESCO for Women in Science UK & Ireland Rising Talent Programme, which offers awards to promote, enhance and encourage the contribution of women pursuing their scientific research careers in the UK or Ireland.

Dr Swidah, a postdoctoral researcher at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, was one of five winners at the award at a ceremony at the House of Commons in London on Monday, 18 March.

Other winners were awarded in the categories of engineering, life sciences, mathematics and computing and physical science.

Reem said: 鈥淚 am honoured to announce that I have been awarded the prestigious L'Or茅al UNESCO Award for Women in Science in the category of Sustainable Development.  

鈥淭hese awards are vital for supporting and celebrating women in science, offering recognition and inspiration. It provides financial research support, fosters networking and collaboration among recipients, and contributes to reducing gender disparities in STEM fields. By highlighting the achievements of women scientists, the award inspires future generations and advocates for gender equality in science.

鈥淧rograms like L'Or茅al UNESCO  for women in science are critically important, providing vital recognition and support for women scientists while challenging prevailing stereotypes and biases.  Believe in yourself, defy stereotypes, continuously enhance your professional skills, and persist in pursuing your dreams. If opportunities don't come your way, create your own path. Seek mentors, embrace learning, take risks, step out of your comfort zone, and surround yourself with supportive peers. Remember, diversity in STEM drives progress and innovation.

鈥淭his award will enable me to balance motherhood and research while gaining the necessary support to make a meaningful impact in my field.鈥�

Reem received a 拢25,000 grant that is fully flexible and tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support 12 months of research. Her work currently focuses on the genome minimization project (part of the Sc3.0 project initiative), focusing on genome minimization within the synthetic yeast strain (Sc2.0).

Reem was selected for the award for her drive and ambition to leverage her skills in synthetic biology to address global challenges and her work to harness the exceptional evolutionary abilities of synthetic yeast strains to develop innovative and cost-effective technologies to produce biofuels.

She believes that these advancements hold the potential to combat climate change and play a pivotal role in achieving the ambitious goal of Net Zero emissions by 2050, a key strategic objective of 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

She added: 鈥淭his award will enhance childcare support for my baby and will afford me the time and financial resources to develop my professional skills. I intend to engage in one-to-one career coaching programs and leadership training, which will help me unlock my full potential and excel in my role, which I currently cannot do.

鈥淭he grant will also enable me to attend international conferences, where I can engage with scientists and stay updated on global challenges and solutions and it will help me to enhance my research independence by using the grant to purchase small equipment and to conduct essential experiments to boost my research objectives.鈥�

The Women in Science National Rising Talents  is run in partnership between L鈥橭r茅al UK and Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society.

Thierry Cheval, L'Or茅al UK and Ireland, Managing Director said: 鈥淎s a company founded by a scientist over 100 years ago, L鈥橭r茅al, together with UNESCO, is committed to driving gender equality in STEM and recognising the exceptional work of female scientists who are vitally contributing to solving the challenges of tomorrow.

鈥淐ongratulations to this year鈥檚 Fellows who are a true inspiration for generations to come.鈥�

Professor Anne Anderson, Chair of the UK National Commission for UNESCO's Board of Directors, added: 鈥淐ongratulations to the 2024 Rising Talents. As we stand at a pivotal moment in time for scientific advancement, UNESCO continues to highlight the importance of true gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the vital role women play in a more equitable scientific society.

鈥淭he United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO is proud to support these young women in STEM from the UK & Ireland and celebrate their achievements as researchers paving the way for a brighter global future.鈥�

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is the recipient of five awards, including:

• , Senior Lecturer in Chemical Biology and Biological Chemistry of the , and , Professor of Polymer Science at the Henry Royce Institute, who are a Co-Investigators on a Mission Hub led by the University of Portsmouth. The mission Hub is looking into how engineering biology can tackle plastic waste.
• , Professor of Geomicrobiology, from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, is involved in a Mission Hub led by the University of Kent, and also leads a Mission Award, both of which will be looking at ways to use engineering biology to process metals, including for bioremediation and for metal recovery from industrial waste streams.
• , , and of the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, received a Mission Award for a project that will engineer biological systems to enable economical production of functionalised proteins including biopharmaceuticals and industrial biocatalysts.
• , Chair in Evolutionary Biology, from the Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, and Professor Patrick Cai of the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, are looking into engineering phages with intrinsic biocontainment to develop new treatments against drug-resistant bacterial infections.

The hubs are funded for five years through UKRI and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and are a collaboration between academic institutions and industrial partners. The Mission Award Projects are funded for two years. These projects will expand upon our current knowledge of engineering biology and capitalise on emerging opportunities.

Announcing the funding the Science, Research and Innovation Minister, Andrew Griffith, said: 鈥淓ngineering biology has the power to transform our health and environment, from developing life-saving medicines to protecting our environment and food supply and beyond.

鈥淥ur latest 拢100m investment through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund will unlock projects as diverse as developing vaccines鈥reventing food waste through disease resistant crops, reducing plastic pollution, and even driving efforts to treat snakebites.

鈥淲ith new Hubs and Mission Awards spread across the country, from Edinburgh to Portsmouth, we are supporting ambitious researchers and innovators around the UK in pioneering groundbreaking new solutions which can transform how we live our lives, while growing our economy.鈥�

Engineering biology has the potential to tackle a diverse range of global challenges, driving economic growth in the UK and around the world, as well as increase national security, resilience and preparedness.  黑料网吃瓜爆料 has a broad range of expertise in engineering biology across its three Faculties and is also home to the international centre of excellence, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology.

In Dr Stefan Hoffmann, lead author on the paper, and have found that by adding an estradiol-controlled destabilising domain degron (ERdd) to the genetic makeup of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), they can control survival of the organism.

Destabilising domain (DD) degrons are an element of a protein that allow for degradation, unless a particular ligand 鈥� a small molecule that binds with the DD degron 鈥� is present to stabilise it. The researchers engineered the yeast to degrade proteins essential for life unless estradiol, a type of oestrogen, was present. Without estradiol, the yeast would die.

This new genetic containment technique differs from previous techniques in that it directly targets essential proteins. It has no detrimental effects on organism function, even when compared with the wild-type organism and it remains an active part of the genome, even after 100 generations.

To achieve this, the researchers tagged 775 essential genes with the ERdd tag and screened the resulting organisms for estradiol-dependent growth. Through this screening, they identified three genes, SPC110, DIS3, and RRP46 as suitable targets. The modified yeast grew well in the presence of estradiol and failed to thrive in its absence.

Professor Patrick Cai, Chair in Synthetic Genomics, said: 鈥�Safety mechanisms are instrumental for the deployment of emerging technologies such as engineering biology. The development of biocontainment systems will effectively minimize the risk associated with the emerging technologies, and to protect both the researchers and the wider community. It also provides a novel solution to combat intellectual espionage to safeguard our ever-growing bio-economy. This work is a great example of the responsible innovation of MIB research.鈥�

Engineering biology is a relatively new, but expanding field of science that allows industry to use microorganisms, such as yeasts and bacteria, to produce value-added chemicals cheaply and efficiently. However, as microorganisms are often genetically engineered to increase efficacy, it becomes a problem if the organisms escape into the natural environment.

To ensure modified organisms do not find their way out of an laboratory setting, the NIH sets strict escape rate thresholds. Currently, most genetic safeguards rely on one of two methodologies to keep within the guidelines: either by engineering in an auxotrophy, whereby the organism relies on a specific metabolite to be present in its environment to survive, or a 鈥渟uicide鈥� gene, where the organism itself produces a toxin that kills it if certain conditions are not met.  

While these methods are generally genetically stable and effective enough to meet the NIH guidelines, they do have caveats to their efficacy. In the case of relying on a metabolite to sustain the organism, this metabolite may also be found in the wild and could not ensure the organism does not survive if it escapes. For 鈥渟uicide鈥� genes, as this is a direct threat to the organism, over generations the gene can selectively mutate and become inactive rendering it an ineffective control.

The new biocontainment method described by Hoffmann and Cai could be used in conjunction with the existing methods to bolster their effectiveness and deliver an even more robust escape frequency. Even if used as the sole biocontainment method, it provides an escape frequency of <2x10^-10 which far exceeds the NIH guideline of an escape rate of less than 10^-8.  

Today, the and The announced the nine recipients of the 2024 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK, including three Laureates and six finalists.

and are named among the three Laureates, who will each receive 拢100,000 in recognition of their work in Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering, respectively.

Now in its seventh year, the awards are the largest unrestricted prizes available to UK scientists aged 42 or younger. The awards recognise research that is transforming medicine, technology and our understanding of the world.

This year鈥檚 Laureates were selected by an independent jury of expert scientists from across the UK.

Professor Anthony Green, a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, has been named the Chemical Sciences Laureate for his discoveries in designing and engineering new enzymes, with valuable catalytic functions previously unknown in nature that address societal needs. Recent examples include the development of biocatalysts to produce COVID-19 therapies to break down plastics, and to use visible light to drive chemical reactions. 

Rahul Nair, Professor of Materials Physics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, was named Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering for developing novel membranes based on two-dimensional (2D) materials that will enable energy-efficient separation and filtration technologies. Using graphene and other 2D materials, his research aims to study the transport of water, organic molecules, and ions at the nanoscale, exploring its potential applications to address societal challenges, including water filtration and other separation technologies.

Internationally recognised by the scientific community, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are instrumental in expanding the engagement and recognition of young scientists and provide the support and encouragement needed to drive scientific innovation for the next generation.

, Founder and Chairman of Access Industries and Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, said: 鈥淧roviding recognition and funding early in a scientist鈥檚 career can make the difference between discoveries that remain in the lab and those that make transformative scientific breakthroughs.

鈥淲e are proud that the Awards have promoted both UK science and the careers of many brilliant young scientists and we look forward to their additional discoveries in the years ahead.鈥�

, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Awards鈥� Scientific Advisory Council, added: 鈥淔rom studying cancer to identifying water in far-off planets, to laying the groundwork for futuristic quantum communications systems, to making enzymes never seen before in a lab or in nature, this year鈥檚 Laureates and Finalists are pushing the boundaries of science and working to make the world a better place. Thank you to this year鈥檚 jury for sharing their time and expertise in selecting these daring and bold scientists as the winning Laureates and Finalists of the 2024 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK.鈥�

The 2024 Blavatnik Awards in the UK Laureates and Finalists will be honoured at a black-tie gala dinner and award ceremony at Banqueting House in Whitehall, London, on 27 February 2024.

The Sustainable Commodity Chemicals through Enzyme Engineering and Design (SuCCEED) project will look to find new ways of manufacturing the chemicals needed for many every-day products through industrial biotechnology routes. By doing this, it will help the chemical manufacturing industry move away from fossil-based feedstocks and reduce their carbon footprint. 

Bio-based manufacturing routes are not currently widespread as they are difficult to scale up and don鈥檛 operate at the profit margins required for commodity chemicals. This poses a barrier to moving the chemicals industry away from petrochemicals and creating a greener industry. 

To help address this, the Prosperity Partnerships bring together industry and academia to find workable solutions to industry-based problems. The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) and Shell have assembled an interdisciplinary team, led by , of biochemists, protein engineers, synthetic biologists, chemists, and chemical engineers to create a proof-of-principle, scalable, biorefinery. 

If successful, this 5-year project could help reshape the chemicals industry and support the UK delivering on its clean growth strategy.

Jeremy Shears, Chief Scientist for Biosciences at Shell said: 鈥淪hell aims to transition to a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 and our work with the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology is important to unlock a more commercial route to sustainably produced chemicals. If we can demonstrate an effective route to bio-production, we hope this will be the catalyst for industrial change across the sector.鈥�

Science, Research and Innovation Minister, Andrew Griffith, said:

鈥淥ur new bioscience prosperity partnerships are a valuable opportunity for government, business and academia to come together and help unleash world-class, pioneering discoveries across the UK while growing our local economies.

鈥淢ore than 拢17m of Government funding is backing vital projects including work in Belfast to unearth life-saving drugs, in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to improve skin health research and in Cambridge to tackle a major source of global pollution 鈥� enhancing the health and wellbeing of people across our country and beyond.鈥�

Dr Lee Beniston FRSB, Associate Director for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative R&D at BBSRC, said:

鈥淭he inaugural round of the BBSRC prosperity partnerships programme has been a huge success. Led by BBSRC, with investment from our colleagues at MRC and EPSRC, we will invest more than 拢17 million in ten projects.

鈥淭his investment will support outstanding, long-term collaborative partnerships between businesses and academic researchers across the UK. Through the BBSRC prosperity partnerships programme, the businesses involved are investing over 拢21 million into research and development.

鈥淭he projects supported will deliver on UK ambitions for private sector investment in research and innovation as outlined in the Science and Technology Framework, helping to drive economic growth and societal impact through key bioscience and biotechnology sectors and industries.鈥�

Industrial biotechnology uses nature鈥檚 own processes to produce value-added products, it is currently used to produce high-value chemicals such as pharmaceuticals. Enzymes and bacteria are the staple workhorses of biocatalysis 鈥� a process that speeds up chemical reactions 鈥� and can produce target chemicals by using anything from biomass to anthropogenic waste as a feedstock. Industrial biotechnology holds huge potential for creating a sustainable manufacturing environment and supporting the world鈥檚 transition to net zero.

The University was also successful in securing a second Prosperity Partnership with Boots, and co-leading a third with University College London.

MOOCs were set up in the mid-2000s to offer learning opportunities to distance learners. Since their inception they have brought education to thousands around the world, usually for free or at a low cost compared with traditional degrees. They have been credited with helping democratise higher education (HE) especially for those in developing nations by offering them a way to receive education from universities around the world, in a way and at a time that suits them.

The industrial biotechnology MOOC was designed and coordinated by Lesley-Ann Miller and Dr. Nicholas Weise from the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, drawing together expertise from the University, and beyond, through a selection of contributors. The modules, which are all freely available worldwide to anyone with an internet connection, covers topics such as enzyme catalysis, synthetic biology, biochemical engineering, pharmaceutical synthesis, biomaterials, bioenergy and glycobiotechnology.  

The course exemplifies how industrial biotechnology can be used by society to meet global net zero goals and create more sustainable routes to manufacture of everyday products, as well as specialist chemicals used by industry. Since the Industrial Revolution, society has relied upon fossil fuels to provide the raw materials for many everyday products including pharmaceuticals, food and drink, materials, plastics, and personal care products.

With government targets drawing closer, industry must find new ways to manufacture these products without relying on finite resources. Industrial biotechnology offers a way for industry to adapt and change to meet these targets while still being able to produce high-quality and high-yielding products with a smaller impact on the environment.

Course instructors, Prof. Nicholas Turner, Dr. Nicholas Weise and Prof. Nigel Scruton, are delighted that the course has been used by hundreds of thousands as a way to access knowledge of sustainable bio-inspired technologies. The course is designed to help those looking to enter the field of biotechnology, upskill or even retrain to help solve technological challenges in their own areas. The course has received an average rating of 4.7/5.0 with learner stories such as:

Open dissemination of expertise from the University that can be used to solve global challenges is an important part of the research impact and social responsibility agenda for the university. The course has already received a recognition for its innovative practices in teaching and learning from the LearnSci Teaching Innovation Awards, a Teaching Excellence Award from the Institute of Teaching & Learning as well as being highly commended at the Making A Difference Awards for outstanding teaching innovation in social responsibility. 

Researchers in the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 have created the tRNA Neochromosome 鈥� a chromosome that is new to nature.

It forms part of a wider project (Sc2.0) that has now successfully synthesised all 16 native chromosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, common baker鈥檚 yeast, and aims to combine them to form a fully synthetic cell.

The international team has already combined six and a half synthetic chromosomes in a functional cell. It is the first time scientists have written a eukaryotic genome from scratch.

Yeasts are a common workhorse of industrial biotechnological processes as they allow valuable chemicals to be produced more efficiently, economically, and sustainably. They are often used in the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals, flavours and fragrances, as well as in the more well-known fermentation processes of bread-making and beer-brewing.

Being able to re-write a yeast genome from scratch could create a strain that is stronger, works faster, is more tolerant to harsh conditions and has a higher yield.

The process also sheds light on the traditionally problematic genome fundamentals, such as how genomes are organised and evolved.

The findings of both projects, published as two research articles of the prestigious journals Cell and Cell Genomics respectively, are a culmination of 10 years of research from an international consortium of scientists led by Professor Patrick Cai and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, and mark a new chapter in engineering biology.

黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 research also features on the front covers of both journals.

Prof Cai, Chair in Synthetic Genomics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 who is the international coordinator of Sc2.0 project, said: 鈥淭his is an exciting milestone when it comes to engineering biology. While we have been able to edit genes for some time, we have never before been able to write a eukaryote genome from scratch. This work is fundamental to our understanding of the building blocks of life and has the potential to revolutionise synthetic biology which is fitting as 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is the home of the Industrial Revolution. Now, we鈥檙e at the forefront of the biotechnological revolution too.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 remarkable about this project is the sheer scale of collaboration and the interdisciplinarity involved in bringing it to fruition. We鈥檝e brought together not only our experts here in the MIB, but also experts from across the world in fields ranging from biology and genomics to computer science and bioengineering.

Dr Daniel Schindler, one of the two lead authors and group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and the Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) in Marburg, added: "The international Sc2.0 is a fascinating, highly interdisciplinary project. It combines basic research to expand our understanding of genome fundamentals, but also paves the way for future applications in biotechnology and drives technology developments.

鈥淭he international and inclusive nature of the project has unleashed the science and seeded future collaborations and friendships. The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, with its excellent research environment and open space, has always facilitated this."

The tRNA neochromosome is used to house and organise all 275 nuclear tRNA genes from the yeast and will eventually be added to the fully synthetic yeast where the tRNA genes have been removed from the other synthesised chromosomes. 

Unlike the other synthetic chromosomes of the Sc2.0 project, the tRNA neochromosome has no native counterpart in the yeast genome.

It was designed using AI assisted, computer-assisted design (CAD), manufactured with state-of-the-art roboticized foundries, and completed by comprehensive genome-wide metrology to ensure the high fitness of the synthetic cells.

Next, the researchers will work together to bring all the individual synthetic chromosomes together into a fully synthetic genome. The final Sc2.0 strain will not only be the world鈥檚 first synthetic eukaryote, but also the first one to be built by the international community.

鈥淭he potential benefits of this research are universal 鈥� the limiting factor isn鈥檛 the technology, it鈥檚 our imagination鈥�, says Prof Cai.

IBIC is a collaborative initiative, led by 黑料网吃瓜爆料, aimed at harnessing the region's scientific and research expertise to accelerate knowledge exchange, impact, and innovation, while fostering a more productive, research-intensive economy and promoting sustainability.

Industrial Biotechnology is a multi-disciplinary field that utilises biological resources for everyday product development, including food, fuels, and medicines. It is poised for significant growth with a market potential exceeding 拢34 billion in the UK alone. The confluence of consumer demand, carbon emission targets, and technological advancements requires new approaches to manufacturing, especially using methods that are divested of petrochemical feedstocks, and industrial biotechnology offers the solutions.

Together with the Universities of Liverpool, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Metropolitan, Bolton and Salford, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 will lead a consortium of academia and industry and create a cohesive ecosystem for IB innovation. The new 拢5million EPSRC Place-Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) builds on an existing critical mass of IB expertise in the north-west including the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology鈥檚 pioneering work (recognised by a Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prize in 2019), major healthcare and biomanufacturing companies like AstraZeneca, Teva, Croda, and Unilever. As well as thriving SME innovation zones, including Daresbury, Liverpool Knowledge Quarter, and Alderley Park, the UK's largest life science campus. 

Professor Miles Padgett, Interim Executive Chair at EPSRC, said:

鈥淚鈥檓 pleased to announce our first ten Place Based Impact Acceleration Accounts which will play a unique role in enhancing the capabilities of innovation clusters across the UK. A key priority for UKRI is to strengthen clusters and partnerships in collaboration with civic bodies and businesses, thereby driving regional economic growth.鈥�

Science Minister, George Freeman, said: 鈥淏iotechnology delivers for our health, planet, prosperity and beyond and by targeting the North-West through our 拢41m place-based investment, we can build on the region鈥檚 thriving innovation cluster and better integrate the UK鈥檚 renowned research activity.

鈥淥ur investment will also create hundreds of new jobs, projects and businesses that will in turn drive investment to the region to grow the local and wider UK economy.鈥�

Professor Claire Eyers, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Impact in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool, said: 鈥淭he University of Liverpool is one of the UK鈥檚 leading research-intensive higher education institutions. We pride ourselves in having a long history of working with a variety of organisations and this collaboration allows for the further application of our world-class research to solve real-world challenges.

We very much look forward to working with our regional partners to combine knowledge and expertise and create meaningful and lasting impact for a thriving north-west innovation ecosystem.鈥�

Dr Damian Kelly, Vice President 鈥� Innovation & Technology Development at Croda is fully supportive of the initiative: 鈥淎t Croda we are committed to be climate, land and people positive by 2030. We work to identify functional materials that can be manufactured from widely available, non-fossil materials while also developing low emission processing.  We are looking forward to being an active member of the IBIC ecosystem and engaging with the collaborative mechanisms.鈥�

The launch of IBIC is expected to stimulate significant investments, create numerous job opportunities, foster collaborative projects, and drive economic growth across the region. Building upon the region鈥檚 current credentials of a workforce of 25,000 people and a more than 拢6 billion turnover each year, the cluster is predicted to directly stimulate 拢2.5M cash and 拢4M in-kind co-investment, establish 150 collaborative projects, train 200+ students, create up to 100 green jobs, and establish 20+ new commercial ventures which could attract a further 拢10M in investment. This would see the cluster delivering a minimum 3:1 economic return on public investment over the medium term, with long-term plans to become an independent, business-led cluster of excellence.

For more information about IBIC and its initiatives, contact Professor Miller via email: aline.miller@manchester.ac.uk.

The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council鈥檚 (BBSRC) strategic Longer and Larger (sLoLa) grants programme, takes the first major step towards understanding complex microbial communities and will support the move towards a more sustainable and Net Zero future.

The University is one of four institutions to receive a share of 拢18 million from the BBSRC to support adventurous research aimed at tackling fundamental questions in bioscience.

The project, worth 拢5.4 million, builds on the work of the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Microbiome Network - a network that brings together the leading microbiome science expertise from across the University to deliver a step-change in understanding microbial communities, regardless of habitat.

Lead researcher, Professor Sophie Nixon, BBSRC David Phillips and Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Fellow at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淢icrobial communities, often called microbiomes, are found in almost every habitable environment on the planet. They exert a significant influence on each of these environments, whether that be the soil we grow our food, in the guts of animals, or even in extreme environments like geothermal springs 鈥� our target environment for this project. However, microbiomes are inherently complex and challenging to study, and their 鈥榬ules of life鈥� remain obscure.

鈥淩ecent technological advances have allowed researchers to study the interactions between members of microbiomes for the first time. Yet, we have barely scratched the surface of resolving how these interactions affect the structure, function, and stability of the community as a whole.   

Over five years, the researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and the Earlham Institute will concentrate on low-diversity communities inhabiting geothermal springs, using a powerful combination of biochemical, 鈥榦mics, and synthetic biology approaches to uncover the rules that govern microbial life in communities.

Using a tractable model system, the team aim to engineer the microbial community both as a learning tool to test emerging hypotheses, such as the ways in which microbes depend on or hinder one another, and as a testbed for future biotechnological development.

Ultimately, the findings will facilitate the engineering of bespoke microbial communities to be used for a plethora of important applications, including new ways to bio-convert CO2 emissions into socio-economically beneficial compounds, contributing toward a more sustainable and Net Zero future. 

Professor Guy Poppy, Interim Executive Chair at BBSRC, said: 鈥淭he latest investment by BBSRC鈥檚 sLoLa award programme represents a pivotal step in advancing frontier bioscience research.

鈥淭hese four world-class teams are poised to unravel the fundamental rules of life, employing interdisciplinary approaches to tackle bold challenges at the forefront of bioscience.

鈥淏y fostering collaboration and innovation, we aim to catalyse ground-breaking discoveries with far-reaching implications for agriculture, health, biotechnology, the green economy and beyond.鈥�

黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 research team includes seven researchers from the Faculty of Science and Engineering (five of which are based in the flagship 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology), two from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, and one from the Earlham Institute - a life science research institute based in Norwich.

Fuels such as this could be a way to bridge the gap between petrochemical derived fuels and cleaner energy sources. In industries such as aviation and shipping, where electrically powered vessels are currently impractical, advanced synthetic fuels offer a more sustainable alternative.

While not yet developed at an industrial scale, the team behind this advancement, which included colleagues from the Chemistry Department at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, were able to produce 15 litres of synthetic kerosene, enough to power a 4-meter drone for 20 minutes. Additionally, the process does not require any large-scale infrastructure and so can be made anywhere. This makes it an appealing prospect for companies and other stakeholders, including the RAF, as it could be rolled out across supply chains around the world.

With net zero and carbon emissions targets at the top of the global agenda, synthetic fuels will have a key part to play in countries achieving these goals. The RAF recently committed to finding more sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived aviation fuels, and with support from companies like C3 BIOTECH, they are one step closer to this. Eventually, similar fuel technologies will be available for commercial, as well as military applications which will further help to reduce the world鈥檚 carbon emissions.