PhD-position | Sustainable production of high-value chemicals by harvesting fast growing cyanoabacteria for multi-step biocatalysis
Description of project
Development of enzymatic cascades in fast growing cyanobacteria based on degradation products of lignin. Predominately ferulic acid and other aromatic phenylpropanoid metabolites should be applied for the production of high value chemicals. The enzyme cascades should contain enzymes from different classes, like phenolic acid decacboxylases, aromatic dioxygenases/isomerases and subsequently either amindehydrogenases or alcohldehydrogenases. The expression of these enzymes will be achieved by the close collaboration with PostDoc#1 from my group who will establish a new expression platform in fast growing cyanobacteria. Additionally it more enzymes for functional group interconversion will be expressed. With the cascade at hand quantitative preparative scale experiments will be performed to prove the feasibility and applicability of the cascade.
Background
The working group has experience in redox biocatalysis and cascade reactions. Additionally the group is well experienced in the genetic modification and cultivation of phototrophic bacteria.
Research Objectives
- Efficient utilization of renewable resources and waste streams for the production of fine and bulk chemicals
- Identification of bottlenecks in the production of chemicals starting from renewable resources.
Methods
- Selection of potential enzyme candidates for suitable cascades.
- Cloning of heterologous genes into different fast growing phototrophic bacteria by Gibson cloning.
- Testing of single-step and multi-step biocatalysis in different hosts by GC and HPLC analysis
- Investigation of different waste and renewable carbon streams on growth and productivity.
Where to apply:
https://www.circularbioengineering.at/
Fachgebiet
Biological sciences, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biotechnology
Arbeitgeber
Arbeitsstätte
Stunden
30
Antrittsdatum
01. September 2025
Bewerbungsfrist
30. Juni 2025
Kontakt
Cluster of Excellence: Circular Bioengineering
cb_managingdirector(at)boku.ac.at
014765475002
Sophie Schober
cb_managingdirector(at)boku.ac.at
014765475002