Tag: NIBB

AD Network Events Roundup – Find an AD or IB event near you!

In addition to our AD Network Research Colloquium 2017 in Southampton on 11-12 Sep 17 and our joint IBioIC / Food Waste / AD Network event on “Opportunities for food by-product valorisation” event in Glasgow on 4 Sep 17 (more information on our website), you may be interested in some of the following.

SludgeTech 2017, London – 9-13th July 2017. See: www.sludgetech.com

7th International Conference on Biotechniques for Air Pollution Control and Bioenergy (Biotechniques-2017), La Coruña. Spain, 19-21st July 2017. Biotechniques-2017 covers a wide range of topics related to the application of environmental biotechnology for air pollution control, gas fermentation in bioreactors and clean (bio)fuels production and upgrading, among others. See: http://bioengingroup.es/biotechniques2017/ .

ECI Conference, Biochar: Production, Characterization and Applications, Alba, Italy, 20-25th August 2017 See: http://www.engconf.org/biochar-production-characterization-and-applications/#header0

IBCarb: “Bioactive Polysaccharides”, Cambridge, 12-13th September. See website for details.

CBMNET and BIOCATNET Joint Event: Import And Export of Small Molecules into Cells for Biocatalysis, Edinburgh, 12-14th Sept 2017. See: www.cbmnetnibb.net .

ADBA Northern Ireland Conference, Belfast, 20th September 2017. Northern Ireland has more AD plants per head than England, Wales or Scotland, but with the green fuels subsidy scheme removed, will the industry continue to grow? What needs to be done to make sure the AD industry keeps on thriving? Find out at the ADBA Northern Ireland National Conference 2017. See: http://adbioresources.org/events/northern-ireland-conference .

Pitch Event: Chemistry and industrial biotechnology for a circular bioeconomy , York, 21st Sept 2017. The Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network and BioVale are working together to deliver an opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to gain insight and form new business relationships in sustainable technologies for a circular bio-economy. Entrepreneurs can benefit from funded training and live pitching to a panel of investors. See:  https://www.biovale.org/event/pitch-event-chemistry-and-industrial-biotechnology-for-a-circular-bioeconomy/ .

ADBA Biomethane and Gas Vehicle Conference, Leeds, 28th September 2017. With the transport sector playing a key role in the £1 trillion potential of the AD industry, our third Biomethane and Gas Vehicle Conference will bring together professionals from acrossthe AD community, transport and fuel infrastructure, freight and logistics, local authorities and more. Over the past year, use of biomethane as a transport fuel has shown strong growth,particularly with buses and HGVs in the logistics sector. The Conference will answer the question on everybody’s lips – is transport the future of the AD industry? See: http://adbioresources.org/events/adba .

10th Biofuels International Conference & Expo , Edinburgh, 4-5th October 2017

Co-located with Bioenergy Insight conference & expo, this will focus on the latest developments in biofuels policy, international biofuels trading, sustainability, solutions for first generation producers, progress in advanced biofuels and information on feedstock pricing and trends.  See: https://biofuels-news.com/conference/index.php .

BioProNET 4th Annual Science Meeting, Warwick Slate Conference Centre, October 10-11th 2017. Registration is free, and includes overnight accommodation (for the majority of registrants). We’ve got a great line-up of speakers — many international — who will present the latest bioprocessing research, and there will be poster sessions so that all delegates have the opportunity to present their work, as well as plenty of time for networking.  The programme and registration details are here: http://biopronetuk.org/biopronet-4th-annual-science-meeting/

HVCfP Annual Meeting 2017, Manchester, 19th October 2017.The programme will combine a showcase of updates from Network-funded Projects, invited talks and flash presentations selected from those suggested by delegates. Further details will be available from April 2017, when online bookings will open. See: https://hvcfp.net/events/annual-meeting-2017/ .

Total Food 2017- Exploitation of agri-food chain waste , Norwich Research Park, Norwich, 31st October -2nd November 2017, Total Food 2017 will be the 5th in a series of international conferences which focus on the sustainable exploitation of agri-food co-products and related biomass, thereby helping to minimise waste.  For more information visit: http://totalfood2017.com .

C1net – CHEMICALS FROM C1 GAS CONFERENCE 3, East Midlands Conference Centre, 5-7th November 2017. Hosted by C1net (BBSRC-NIBB) this FREE two-day conference will bring together academic and industrial partners to identify and address key challenges in the study of those organisms able to grow on C1 compounds and commercially exploit them as platforms for chemical manufacture.  The programme will include talks from selected submitted abstracts, as well as from key academics and industry representatives. See C1Net website for details.

The 2017 AquaEnviro Biosolids Conference, the Royal Armouries, Leeds – 20/21st November 2017. Attendees have fantastic networking opportunities with over 250 recognised professionals from around the world and the latest presentations from high-profile industry experts. Now in its third decade, The Biosolids gives an essential annual update on: legislatory changes; new technologies; best practice and site-experiences with existing technologies and an insight into relevant research in the science and engineering of biosolids and organic resources.  See: http://european-biosolids.com/ .

EBA conference 2018, Antwerp, 24-26th January 2018. “Greening Gas” is the theme of the next EBA Conference, covering the latest developments of biogas, syngas and biomethane production. More than 300 biogas representatives are expected to gather in Antwerp, at the Hilton Hotel and the Kinepolis Event Centre. EBA speakers list includes high level policy makers and representatives from leading biogas and biomethane business. Particular attention will also be paid to the theme of transport, with sessions dedicated to biomethane as a transport fuel and power-to-gas. Speakers will address all issues from a technical, economic, scientific and political perspective. See: http://biogasconference.eu/ .

C1NET Conference – Chemicals from C1 Gas, Nottingham – 5-7th November 2017

This free, two-day conference will bring together academic and industrial partners to identify and address key challenges in the study of those organisms able to grow on C1 compounds and commercially exploit them as platforms for chemical manufacture. The programme will include talks from invited speakers from academia and industry, as well as from selected submitted abstracts and will showcase presentations from C1net POC grant winners. See: http://www.c1net.co.uk/Events.html .

The Chemistry and Biology of Natural Products XI 2-Day Graduate and Early Career Symposium, University of Warwick – 29/30th June 2017

This symposium is open to everyone working in the field of natural products, from microbial genetics to synthetic chemistry, and we particularly encourage PhD students and postdocs to present their work with talks and posters.

NPRONET and BIOCATNET are sponsoring this event. Registration is FREE and it includes two lunches, a wine reception/dinner and prizes for best talks and posters.

See: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wcibb/meetings/chemistryandbiologysymposium

Tender for Industrial Biotechnology Landscape Report Provision (by 20 Jan 17 at 1200 hrs)

BACKGROUND
BBSRC, with support from EPSRC, have committed £18M to fund 13 unique collaborative networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy (BBSRC NIBB). The BBSRC NIBB foster collaborations between academia, industry, policy makers and NGOs in order to find new approaches to tackle research challenges, translate research and deliver key benefits in Industrial Biotechnology (IB). Each network has a particular focus area, mainly within the UK, but with interest to build international links. These multidisciplinary networks will drive new ideas to harness the potential of biological resources for producing and processing materials, biopharmaceuticals, chemicals and energy.

Four NIBBs (CBMNet, BIOCATNET, C1Net and P2P) are commissioning this project with the aim of mapping the strengths of the entire UK Industrial Biotechnology sector. The focus of the project should be on research and development through to commercialisation with additional focus on Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-7. The target audience for the report are UK funders and The Government.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
The report will provide the following:
1. A concise, critical synopsis of the relevant reports and roadmaps assessing and analysing UK Industrial Biotechnology and BioEnergy (IBBE) (see below for a list from a previous report; the list is not exhaustive), the report should cover the last 5 years. This exercise should identify any limitations in the existing studies and not simply summarise what is already known.
2. A detailed analysis of the current UK landscape in IBBE. Mapping the key capabilities (strengths and weaknesses e.g. research, technologies, scale up technologies) across the UK IBBE sector, including research organisations and small, medium, and large companies.
3. Critical evaluation of the current state of the UK IBBE sector, including its capacity to commercialise research.
4. A benchmark assessment of the UK IBBE industry compared to that of the top performing competitors (for example USA, Canada, Brazil, Malaysia and Germany).
5. Identify UK IBBE success stories and projects that provide examples of best practise for translation of research into commercial application (Case Studies).
6. Identify IBBE areas in which the UK could have a competitive advantage in terms of inherent resources (feedstocks), infrastructure (plant and buildings), innovation (expertise), enterprise and funding systems. This should include an assessment of whether and how IBBE-related IP generated in the UK is exploited in the UK.
7. Identify and assess options for an IBBE translation framework to support future commercialisation of IBBE research in the UK. This should include an assessment of various forward looking mechansims to encourage adoption of innovative solutions by industry by removing/mitigating risk.
8. Horizon scanning to identify emerging technologies and trends that will impact on a range of sectors and drive the future of IBBE in the UK.
9. Provide an evidence-based roadmap and policy recommendations for the developing key IBBE activities in which the UK has existing strength and capacity that provide a solid and credible foundation on which to build a competitive world-class UK IBBE sector.
If you would like to tender for this report or for more information, please see https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sheffield

The tender reference number is 1526/DM and the closing date for responses is at 12 noon on Friday 20th January 2017. To view the tender notice and access the documents, please hover over “Tenders” and click on “Current” and from there click “View Details”, finally please click on the “Express Interest” button where, after registering to use the site, you will be able to download the relevant details. Please also be aware that all correspondence’s & tender returns should be conducted through the In-tend site.
Contact Us

For any enquiries about our network, please contact:
Dr Jen Vanderhoven
Network Manager, CBM Network
jen.vanderhoven@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 (0) 114 2229766
University of Sheffield, E100 Addison Building, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN

Tracking Functional Microbiomes of UK Anaerobic Digesters

This 1 year project, funded by BBSRC and led by Professor Orkun Soyer at the University of Warwick, focuses on furthering our understanding of anaerobic digestion, particularly on how the complex microbial communities affect and are affected by operational conditions. Altogether, 16 UK full scale AD reactors are taking part in the project, where both genetic and meta-data are collected weekly. The large amounts of genetic data will allow us to characterise which species of microbes inhabit the digesters, what their functions are and, importantly, how they change over time. The meta-data will allow us to monitor changes in response to their environment. The datasets will be made available through the project website at http://anaerodynamics.com, funded by the AD Network. These will provide an unbiased and transparent source of information on the performance of industrial AD reactors in real time, which we hope will help to enhance and expand this technology in the UK. Enquiries can be directed to: Prof. Orkun Soyer at Warwick University.

Social and political challenges for the bioeconomy, 8-9 Dec 16, Sheffield

CBM Network is holding this two day event at Sheffield. The event will address the challenges facing the bioeconomy related to rapid scientific, technological and social change. It will bring together UK industrial biotechnology leaders and academics to discuss grand challenges and then hopes to forge new collaborations between delegates, who will go on to apply for funding to begin to solve these problems.

The agenda is here.

Registration for the event is here.

C1 Network Metabolic Modelling Workshop 3 – Nottingham 23-27 Jan 17

Redirecting an organism’s metabolism towards novel products raises a number of design issues. What is the impact of the new pathway on the cell’s energy and redox metabolism? Can the precursor and coenzyme requirements be satisfied? Should some parts of the metabolic network be blocked off to ensure the most efficient routes to the product are favoured? Answering these questions needs tools that can compute and compare feasible routes through the cell’s metabolic network, as well as methods for defining and representing the metabolic network in a way the tools can use. This is the domain of structural analysis of metabolism, and techniques such as elementary modes analysis and flux balance analysis. This combined theoretical and practical course will explain the theory behind these techniques and give hands-on experience of building metabolic network models and calculating feasible and optimal routes through them. It will be presented by David Fell and his colleagues in the Cell Systems Modelling Group of Oxford Brookes University. It covers the same area as the previous C1net Modelling Workshop 1, but is complementary to Workshop 2 on kinetic models.

 

Details

Free participation, accommodation (for non-local delegates) and meals for members of C1NET or another NIBB network.  Participants are required to bring their own laptop (not netbook or tablet).  Software will be provided.
When: Monday 23 January 2017, 13.30 – Friday 27 January 2017 13:30
Where: St James Hotel, 1 Rutland Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 6FL
http://www.stjames-hotel.com/

For a registration form, visit http://www.c1net.co.uk/Events-workshop-3.html

CBM Network Event: Social and Political Challenges for the Bioeconomy, 8-9 Dec 16, Sheffield

The above event explores the challenges facing the bioeconomy related to rapid scientific, technological and social change. It brings together UK industrial biotechnology leaders and academics to discuss grand challenges  and then hopes to forge new collaborations between delegates, who will go on to apply for funding to begin to solve these problems. Further details and registration can be found here.

£17M Announced to Support Industrial Biotechnology – IB Catalyst Round 4 results published

The BBSRC have announced that sixteen projects have received a share of £17M to bring innovative biotechnology concepts to market. These projects have been funded under Round 4 of the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst and they focus on a wide range of products from creating new drugs from bacteria, to increasing yields in the production of platform sugars from municipal solid wastes (MSW). The IB Catalyst has invested over £75M in four rounds and has helped create jobs, drive new technologies and promote academic and industrial collaborations to translate research into commercial reality. More information can be found in the complete BBSRC press release here.

Another BIV delivers! A new tool for AD energy requirements

The AD Network funded the University of Southampton and IEA Task 37 (UK) to produce a new program based modelling tool for anyone interested in modelling an AD system. At its simplest, it can be used to calculate potential biogas (and electrical) output for a system, but it is also sophisticated enough to calculated wider energy use and production across a whole system.

The model includes a wide variety of potential AD feedstocks, but users are also able to enter their own values. It is also possible to compare scenarios and to export all the information as a .CSV in order to further manipulate the outputs.

A really useful tool and it’s FREE. Download it from the Bioenergy and Organic Resources Research Group website.