The main objective of BIOCHEM is to provide an integral method for model-aided design of a novel bioprocess using mixed-culture fermentation. In particular, BIOCHEM focuses on two essential aspects when designing a novel bioprocess: to reach a high selectivity of the desired product(s) and to achieve high productivity so that the process is economically feasible. As a demonstration, in BIOCHEM project, a process for the viable production of volatile fatty acids (VFA), i.e. acetic, propionic, butyric and valeric acids from low grade biomass (food wastes) by anaerobic (co-)fermentation will be developed. The selected case study is especially interesting because acetic acid global demand is approximately 10.3 million tonnes with wide applications in paints, adhesives, protective coatings and polymers; and propionic, butyric and valeric acid are produced in smaller quantities but have a higher added value and are used in animal feed and food preservation.

The impact of BIOCHEM is two-fold: i) by producing a method for developing bioprocesses, it can foster the implementation of novel processes for converting waste into higher value added products; ii) by designing a process for production of VFA from waste, it can displace the use of fossil fuels while valorising a residue.

Symposium

Challenges of the biological conversion of residues into platform chemicals

CANCELLED

Given the progression of the Covid-19 pandemic and after a careful deliberation of the different options by the Organizing and Scientific Committee, we have decided to cancel the Symposium. Our goal was to make an event with a reduced number of participants to facilitate the exchanges among the attendees and very high quality talks. Clearly, the current situation would not allow for such an event any time soon, hence our decision. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience.

Converting residues and wastes into chemicals, such as volatile fatty acids, is hot topic of research which has not yet reached the maturity for becoming an economically viable valorisation technology. This symposium is meant to serve as a forum for experts to discuss the main current and future challenges.

It will be structured in four plenary sessions with keynote invited speakers, short presentations and time for debate. The maximum number of assistants will be limited to facilitate discussions during the sessions and breaks.

Important dates
Call for abstracts……………………………..10 February 2020
Deadline for abstract submission………..13 March 2020 --> Extended to 20 March 2020
Confirmation of acceptance:...............…….03 April 2020
Deadline for inscription:........................……..15 May 2020
Symposium:...……………………………………….. CANCELLED

Download here the Biochem Symposium Flyer and Abstract Template

News

BIOCHEM partners have met in Madrid to assess the progress of the project. The meeting, which took place on March 28th at Casa de Galicia in Madrid, was attended by Marta Carballa, Alberte Regueira and Riccardo Bevilacqua from University of Santiago de Compostela, Jaana Uusitalo and Kiira Vuoristo from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and An-Ping Zeng and Ludwig Selder from Technical University Hamburg-Harburg. Besides presenting the work progress and future plans, the main objective of the meeting was to discuss the integration and future project synergies, and accordingly, establish the required actions.

BIOCHEM partners have met in Hamburg to assess the progress of the project. The meeting, which took place on October 5th at Technical University Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH), was attended by Marta Carballa, Miguel Mauricio, Alberte Regueira and Riccardo Bevilacqua from University of Santiago de Compostela, Jaana Uusitalo from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and An-Ping Zeng, Wael Sabra and Ludwig Selder from Technical University Hamburg-Harburg.
The objective of the meeting was to discuss the results obtained so far and establish actions for the next period.

On Monday October 2nd 2017, PhD candidate Alberte Regueira from the Group of Environmental Biotechnology of the University of Santiago de Compostela has presented the oral communication “BIOCHEM: A new methodology for designing mixed-culture bioprocesses assisted with bioenergetics models” at the 10th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (WCCE 2017) held in Barcelona on 1st – 5th October 2017.

Today, it was held the kick-off meeting of ERA-NET Industrial Biotechnology BIOCHEM (Novel biorefinery platform methodology for a driven production of chemicals from low-grade biomass).

This project is coordinated by Ass. Prof. Marta Carballa from BIOGROUP. Other BIOGROUP members involved are Prof. Juan M. Lema, Dr. Miguel Mauricio and PhD candidates Alberte Regueira and Riccardo Bevilacqua. The kick-off meeting counted with the presence of Prof. An-Ping Zeng, Dr. Wael Sabra and PhD candidate Ludwig Selder from Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg(Germany) and Dr. Jaana Uusitalo and Dr. Maria Saarela from VTT (Finland).

BIOCHEM aims at proposing a new method for the design of novel bioprocesses, using as a demonstration the production of volatile fatty acids from waste biomass.

Partnership

BIOCHEM strategy

• Development of bioenergetics-based and kinetic models for prediction of mixed-culture population preferred metabolic routes

• Assisting the experiments by targeting the range of operating conditions with the use of bioenergetics-based models and process engineering tools

• Engineering the optimal microbial communities for desired product spectrum and product yield, by manipulation of the operating conditions

• Increasing the productivity and overcoming product inhibition by using in-situ product removal techniques

• Developing a virtual plant to optimise the design of the novel bioprocess and adjust it to the production of any of the possible products from a variety of substrates