Category: NIBB News

Ligno-cellulosic feedstock in the UK

The LB Network in conjunction with the NNFCC have published a report on non foodcrop Ligno-cellulosic feedstocks in the UK which could be available to support biorefineries. This is an excellent piece of work and can be downloaded here: http://lb-net.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/LBNet-Lignocellulosic-feedstock-in-the-UK.pdf

Value of AD Research Recognised with AD Ambassador Award

Leaders across the anaerobic digestion industry met earlier this month for the fourth annual UK AD & Biogas Industry Awards held at the Birmingham NEC.

Angela Bywater, Network co-Manager of the BBSRC-funded Anaerobic Digestion was amongst those recognised for their contribution to the industry, receiving an ADBA Industry Ambassador Award for her work in championing the AD industry’s interests  and, in particular, the value of research and development.

ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton said “There has been a lot of exceptional hard work by dedicated professionals over the past five years, all aimed at scaling our industry. Today the AD industry boasts 400 biogas plants, which together deliver an electrical equivalent capacity of almost 480 megawatts – equivalent to the capacity of one of the nuclear power plants, Wyfla, which is being decommissioned this year.“ She added that, with these awards, “We’re honoured to recognise the greatest contributors to those sector triumphs that have developed AD as an established, proven technology.”

The Anaerobic Digestion Network is one of 13 BBSRC funded Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy and is led by Professor Charles Banks of the University of Southampton and Professor Orkun Soyer from the University of Warwick. The AD Network provides research funding accessible to business and academia, as well as running low cost/free networking and information dissemination events for anyone interested in innovation and research in the field of Anaerobic Digestion.  Membership is free to all. More information can be found at www.anaerobicdigestionnet.com/.

LB Net Early Stage Career Workshop – 8-10 July 2015, Redworth Hall, Darlington

If you are in the last year of your PhD or you are a postdoctoral researcher within 3 years of completing your PhD do not miss this opportunity to engage with experts from industry and academia in the lignocellulosic biorefinery area and take part in a creativity workshop aimed at inspiring  researchers to recognise the potential for innovation and research in the area of industrial biotechnology and  lignocellulosic biomass.

Take part in this 3-day workshop, where a series of inspirational talks are planned. Participants are expected to form teams and develop innovative and competitive ideas for funding. Mentors from industry and academia will be there to support delegates. This is a great opportunity to mix with like minded researchers and be guided in how to develop creative research into competitive proposals and entrepreneurial ventures. The workshop is led by Dr Edward Green, founder of Green Biologics and Chain Biotechnology and the aim is to encourage creative and innovative thinking.

Register by completing the LB Net application form and returning it to veronica.ongaro@york.ac.uk

CBM Net Event: Engineering the membrane for improved cell factories

The use of whole-cell biocatalysts for the large scale production of biomolecules, fine chemicals and biofuels is a key theme within industrial biotechnology and bioenergy. However, cells that have been engineered for these purposes are often subject to membrane stress, leading to a loss of integrity at the cell membrane.

This event brings together stakeholders with an interest in understanding and re-engineering cell membranes to enhance the productivity of cell-based factories used in industrial biotechnology and bioenergy. More details can be found at: http://cbmnetnibb.group.shef.ac.uk/event/engineering-the-membrane-for-improved-cell-factories/

EXPERTS NEEDED!

BBSRC are looking to appoint suitably qualified and motivated individuals from academia, industry and other BBSRC user communities to fill a number of vacancies on our Strategy Advisory Panels, the Pool of Experts, Committee E and Follow-on-Fund Committee.

This is an opportunity to work with other highly experienced people from across the academic, public, private and civil sectors to make an important contribution to the future direction of bioscience research.

http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/structures/committees/committee-pool-membership/call-for-pool-experts-strategy-panels-and-committees/

There are vacancies for:

  • Assessment Committee (pool) members
  • Strategy Panel members
    • Agriculture and Food Security Strategy Advisory Panel
    • Bioscience for Health Strategy Advisory Panel
    • Bioscience For Industry Strategy Panel
    • Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel
    • Exploiting New Ways Of Working Strategy Advisory Panel
    • Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy Strategy Advisory Panel
  • Committee E members (fellowship funding)
  • Follow-on-Fund committee members

If you know of anyone who you think would be interested in applying to this, please can you pass this information on to them.

The call is open until midnight Sunday 5th July

Research fellow in biomethanisation of CO2

Applicants are invited for a Research Fellow position to investigate microbially-mediated power-to-gas systems.

You will investigate microbially-mediated power-to-gas systems and develop continuous laboratory-scale systems for biological production of methane at high concentrations both from gas-fed bioreactors and through modification of conventional anaerobic digestion.  The research is intended to assess the optimum conditions and the performance limitations and to link these with metabolic functionality and control, in collaboration with other consortium partners.

The post funded by a BBSRC IB Catalyst grant with partners in the Universities of York and Sheffield.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 11 June 2015.

Informal enquiries are welcome and can be directed to Prof Charles Banks: cjb@soton.ac.uk

AD Network Awards its 3rd Business Interaction Voucher

Our third Business Interaction Voucher has been awarded. These vouchers support collaborations between industrial and academic partners within the Network. Our first two BIVs are well on track to produce some good information for the industrial partners and we have two more in the pipeline. Interested in finding out how we can help fund an academic to help you with a business problem? Take a look at our Information on BIVs.