15 NSFBIO - Synthetic Biology for Lignin Utilization
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Portsmouth
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Our current reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable and there is a clear need to find alternative sources of renewable fuels and chemicals to meet the needs of an expanding global population. A vast amount of work has been done in developing the technologies to turn waste plant material (biomass) into sugar that can be fermented to produce bioethanol for our cars, trains and planes. This relies on enzymes, like those used in washing detergents, to break down the plant material so that that it can be converted into biofuels - a direct alternative to fossil fuels. Although the technology now exists to do this, it is simply too expensive. So how can we make it cheaper?
Plant cell walls contain cellulose and it is this polymer that can be broken down into sugars to make fuels. However, up to one-third of plant material is made up of a sticky brown compound called lignin. This is currently vastly underused in commercial plants and it is mainly burned to generate power. This is a huge waste, and one of the reasons that biofuels are currently so expensive. Lignin is actually a very valuable compound, and with the right enzymes, can be turned into useful products such as chemicals, plastics and even carbon-fibre. Not only would these materials be renewable and sustainable, their high value would make biofuels cheaper.
As usual, nature already has the answer. We have found microbes that can live on lignin as a food source and have evolved powerful enzymes break this resistant compound apart. We plan to research these enzymes and link them together in new systems to make them efficient. We will use genetics to help us evolve better enzymes, work out their 3D structures and use advanced computer models to work out the best combinations. If we succeed, we have the potential to make biofuel production commercially viable and create a new range of plant-based products. The result will be transportation fuels that don't rely on dwindling fossil fuel reserves, are sustainable and are kinder to the environment.
Plant cell walls contain cellulose and it is this polymer that can be broken down into sugars to make fuels. However, up to one-third of plant material is made up of a sticky brown compound called lignin. This is currently vastly underused in commercial plants and it is mainly burned to generate power. This is a huge waste, and one of the reasons that biofuels are currently so expensive. Lignin is actually a very valuable compound, and with the right enzymes, can be turned into useful products such as chemicals, plastics and even carbon-fibre. Not only would these materials be renewable and sustainable, their high value would make biofuels cheaper.
As usual, nature already has the answer. We have found microbes that can live on lignin as a food source and have evolved powerful enzymes break this resistant compound apart. We plan to research these enzymes and link them together in new systems to make them efficient. We will use genetics to help us evolve better enzymes, work out their 3D structures and use advanced computer models to work out the best combinations. If we succeed, we have the potential to make biofuel production commercially viable and create a new range of plant-based products. The result will be transportation fuels that don't rely on dwindling fossil fuel reserves, are sustainable and are kinder to the environment.
Technical Summary
The microbial production of fuels and chemicals from renewable feedstock is a grand challenge for synthetic biology. To date, no microbial chassis has been developed for lignin utilization despite the success of similar approaches with sugars. Although lignin is an abundant, energy-dense polymer that makes up ~30% of plant biomass, it is recalcitrant to degradation. In contrast to cellulose, lignin cannot be readily cleaved into homogenous subunits because it is composed of diverse phenyl-propanoid compounds connected by non-uniform chemical linkages. This complexity makes the targeted degradation of lignin a daunting challenge and results in the dramatic, wasteful underutilization of lignin as a feedstock. In nature, the complete degradation of lignin involves microbial consortia. Although no single organism encodes all the enzymes needed for efficient lignin catabolism, natural metabolic pathways provide a rich catalytic toolbox.
We have assembled a multi-disciplinary team to engineer the first lignin-degrading chassis using a bacterium, Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1. Utilising the unique genetic system of ADP1, we will evolve efficient catabolic devices to expand the degradation of mixtures of lignin-derived aromatic compounds. To complement the microbial genetics, a combination of GC-MS metabalomic and metabolic flux methods will be used to quantify intermediates in the lignin catabolic pathway and in silico metabolic modelling will allow us to target enzymatic bottlenecks and improve lignin catabolism. These specific enzymes will enter our structural biology and protein engineering platform, where we will fully characterise and adapt them with the goal of constructing superior enzyme 'machines' for the efficient conversion of lignin to desired products. These engineered enzymes will then be incorporated back into ADP1 and multiple iterative cycles will allow us to continually improve the efficiency of the system.
We have assembled a multi-disciplinary team to engineer the first lignin-degrading chassis using a bacterium, Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1. Utilising the unique genetic system of ADP1, we will evolve efficient catabolic devices to expand the degradation of mixtures of lignin-derived aromatic compounds. To complement the microbial genetics, a combination of GC-MS metabalomic and metabolic flux methods will be used to quantify intermediates in the lignin catabolic pathway and in silico metabolic modelling will allow us to target enzymatic bottlenecks and improve lignin catabolism. These specific enzymes will enter our structural biology and protein engineering platform, where we will fully characterise and adapt them with the goal of constructing superior enzyme 'machines' for the efficient conversion of lignin to desired products. These engineered enzymes will then be incorporated back into ADP1 and multiple iterative cycles will allow us to continually improve the efficiency of the system.
Planned Impact
The aim of this research is to produce enzymes with enhanced lignin degrading activities that can be used directly in the production of fine chemicals from waste material to support commercially viable processes. Crucially, this technology uses waste biomass and therefore does not compete with food crops, making it a sustainable alternative to fossil-based transportation fuels and provide a new and sustainable source of high-value chemicals. Our main objectives directly address several BBSRC strategic priority areas:
Synthetic biology:
Adopting an enzyme engineering approach, informed by metabolomics and driven by genetic evolution, to generate enhanced enzymes and novel metabolic pathways.
Bioenergy:
Addressing a key economic bottleneck in 2nd Generation bioethanol production and sustainable fine chemicals.
Industrial biotechnology:
The newly developed recombinant enzymes may find application in other industrial sectors such as paper and textile manufacturing and biological washing detergents. New enzymes have the potential to aid in the manufacture of natural products and drugs that remain difficult to synthesise.
Increased international collaboration:
Capitalising on the world-class infrastructure between the 3 NSF-funded groups in the USA, the DoE-funded facility at NREL and the biophysics and structural biology expertise in the UK.
Public engagement:
For public engagement, previous work in related areas has already proved to be particularly attractive to the media and has headlined national TV news, newspapers and in excess of 20 websites worldwide (Google: 'gribble mcgeehan'). Bodies such as the BBSRC, STFC have also covered this work together with large facilities such as the Diamond Light Source, UK and the National Science Foundation, USA.
Synthetic biology:
Adopting an enzyme engineering approach, informed by metabolomics and driven by genetic evolution, to generate enhanced enzymes and novel metabolic pathways.
Bioenergy:
Addressing a key economic bottleneck in 2nd Generation bioethanol production and sustainable fine chemicals.
Industrial biotechnology:
The newly developed recombinant enzymes may find application in other industrial sectors such as paper and textile manufacturing and biological washing detergents. New enzymes have the potential to aid in the manufacture of natural products and drugs that remain difficult to synthesise.
Increased international collaboration:
Capitalising on the world-class infrastructure between the 3 NSF-funded groups in the USA, the DoE-funded facility at NREL and the biophysics and structural biology expertise in the UK.
Public engagement:
For public engagement, previous work in related areas has already proved to be particularly attractive to the media and has headlined national TV news, newspapers and in excess of 20 websites worldwide (Google: 'gribble mcgeehan'). Bodies such as the BBSRC, STFC have also covered this work together with large facilities such as the Diamond Light Source, UK and the National Science Foundation, USA.
Organisations
- University of Portsmouth (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of South Florida (Collaboration)
- Northwestern University (Collaboration)
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (Collaboration)
- University of Georgia (Collaboration)
- DIAMOND LIGHT SOURCE (Collaboration)
- U.S. Department of Energy (Collaboration)
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Collaboration)
- Montana State University (Collaboration)
Publications
Wolf ME
(2022)
Cytochromes P450 in the biocatalytic valorization of lignin.
in Current opinion in biotechnology
Mallinson SJB
(2018)
A promiscuous cytochrome P450 aromatic O-demethylase for lignin bioconversion.
in Nature communications
Machovina MM
(2019)
Enabling microbial syringol conversion through structure-guided protein engineering.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Knott BC
(2020)
Characterization and engineering of a two-enzyme system for plastics depolymerization.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Kincannon WM
(2022)
Biochemical and structural characterization of an aromatic ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase for terephthalic acid catabolism.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Erickson E
(2021)
Comparative Performance of PETase as a Function of Reaction Conditions, Substrate Properties, and Product Accumulation
in ChemSusChem
Erickson E
(2022)
Comparative Performance of PETase as a Function of Reaction Conditions, Substrate Properties, and Product Accumulation.
in ChemSusChem
Erickson E
(2022)
Critical enzyme reactions in aromatic catabolism for microbial lignin conversion
in Nature Catalysis
Ellis ES
(2021)
Engineering a Cytochrome P450 for Demethylation of Lignin-Derived Aromatic Aldehydes.
in JACS Au
Barham T
(2021)
Thirty-five years later: Long-term effects of the Matlab maternal and child health/family planning program on older women's well-being.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Austin HP
(2018)
Characterization and engineering of a plastic-degrading aromatic polyesterase.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Description | We have solved the first 3D structure of a novel enzyme that can breakdown a key component of lignocellulose plant material call guaiaicol. We have successfully engineered this enzyme to accept a new highly abundant lignocellulose substrate, syringol. We have also solved and engineered an enzyme that can digest PET plastic and this work was awarded the Times Higher Education STEM Research Project of the year (2019). On the basis of our recent research successes, we have created a new Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI) which has attracted £5.8m in funding from Research England. |
Exploitation Route | These data will eventually be used to design new synthetic pathways to turn plant waste into useful chemicals that can currently only be generated from fossil-based extraction. We are now looking at routes to commercialize PET digesting enzymes for circular recycling. |
Sectors | Chemicals Energy Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
URL | https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/portsmouth-scientists-awarded-major-plastics-funding |
Description | Our recent work involved solving the structure and improving the function of an enzyme (PETase) which can break down some of our most commonly polluting plastics. This work captivated a global audience of over 200 million people and features in the UKRI Strategy Prospectus, BBSRC and Diamond Light Source highlights, is cited in international policy papers and reached the Altmetric Top 100 from 2.8 million publications. I am now routinely invited to speak at high profile international conferences, government meetings and in the media (e.g. UK, USA, China) on sustainable enzyme solutions to plastic pollution. Our work on lignin and plastic active enzymes is expanding and converging as the key chemicals in both breakdown processes share similar structure and pathways. Our latest paper on MHETase also reached the Altmetric Top 100 in 2020. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Case study in UKRI Strategic Prospectus |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://www.ukri.org/about-us/strategic-prospectus/creating-social-and-cultural-impact/engineering-a... |
Description | Cited by Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) - Synthetic biology in Australia: an outlook to 2030 |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://apo.org.au/node/190361 |
Description | Frontières génétiques pour la conservation...évaluation technique |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Citation of our paper: Characterization and engineering of a plastic-degrading aromatic polyesterase, PNAS 2018 |
URL | https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/48915 |
Description | Centre for Enzyme Innovation - Research England - Expanding Excellence in England (E3) |
Amount | £5,827,978 (GBP) |
Funding ID | University of Portsmouth Centre for Enzyme Innovation 42.18 |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Research England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2019 |
End | 07/2022 |
Description | NREL subcontract - New enzymes for the deconstruction of natural and synthetic polymers |
Amount | $320,000 (USD) |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Energy |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Title | X-ray protein structures |
Description | Published X-ray structures to date |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2008 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Multiple publications |
URL | http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/search/index?text:mcgeehan%20je |
Description | Collaboration for advanced enzyme molecular simulations |
Organisation | University of South Florida |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have provided high-resolution X-ray structures. |
Collaborator Contribution | Extensive ligand docking and molecular dynamics simulations. |
Impact | Manuscript in submission |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with enzyme biochemistry expert |
Organisation | Montana State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of purified enzymes |
Collaborator Contribution | Detailed biochemical analysis |
Impact | Manuscript under review |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with the Eltis Group, University of British Columbia |
Organisation | University of British Columbia |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have shared data and materials and are now currently working on joint projects stemming from the original work on P450s funded by this grant. |
Collaborator Contribution | They have supplied DNA clones, protocols and purified enzymes. |
Impact | We have co-produced several enzyme structure and hope to publish in 2021/22 |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with world-expert in enzyme mechanisms |
Organisation | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provided platform of biochemical and X-ray structural data |
Collaborator Contribution | Enzyme mechanism analysis using advanced density functional theory calculations |
Impact | Manuscript under review |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Diamond Light Source beamline staff collaboration |
Organisation | Diamond Light Source |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Provisions of proteins and crystals |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of structural expertise and state-of-the-art X-ray beamline facilities |
Impact | Several enzyme structures solved, manuscripts in preparation. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Industrial partnership with GlaxoSmithKline for enzyme production |
Organisation | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
Country | Global |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are supplying bacterial expression systems for the production of the PETase enzyme |
Collaborator Contribution | GSK are providing enzyme fermentation scale-up expertise and facilities |
Impact | Research is ongoing. We were jointly interview by BBC world service about this project. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Synthetic biology working partners in the USA |
Organisation | Northwestern University |
Department | Center for Synthetic Biology |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Shared data and provided funding for a joint proposal to the University of Georgia |
Collaborator Contribution | Materials including expression plasmids and constructs. Bacterial evolution expertise and genomic sequencing services. |
Impact | We have developed new strategies for the evolution of lignin degradation enzymes. This is a multi-disciplinary combination of structural biology (UK) and synthetic biology (USA). |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Synthetic biology working partners in the USA |
Organisation | University of Georgia |
Department | Department of Microbiology |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Shared data and provided funding for a joint proposal to the University of Georgia |
Collaborator Contribution | Materials including expression plasmids and constructs. Bacterial evolution expertise and genomic sequencing services. |
Impact | We have developed new strategies for the evolution of lignin degradation enzymes. This is a multi-disciplinary combination of structural biology (UK) and synthetic biology (USA). |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | US Department of Energy subcontract |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Energy |
Department | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Biophysical and structural characterisation of novel lignocellulose-digesting enzymes |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of genes and protein expression systems. |
Impact | A joint 4-year studentship 2015-2019 |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Almedalen - Swedish Political Retreat Invited to speak by British Embassy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited to speak by British Embassy to Almedalen - Swedish Political Retreat Dscussion Panel 4 July 2018 Marine plastics: how can researchers, artists and governments work together to develop solutions? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://program.almedalsveckan.info/event/user-view/54648 |
Description | BBC Interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview with Kate Stephens BBC News, Science Producer and David Shuckman, BBC Broadcasting House, Central London |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-43783631 |
Description | Blow Moulding Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Conference talk: Engineering biological enzymes for deconstructing and recycling PET |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | British Crystallography Association Plenary |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk - Focusing X-rays on plastic pollution |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Cafe Scientifique - Talk IOW |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public engagement for plastics research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Café Scientifique Henley |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | How plastic-eating bacteria actually work |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Inaugural public lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An inaugural public lecture was given to a very mixed audience of around 200, from students, to academics, the general public and our local MP, Flick Drummond. A full video will be online shortly. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://uopnews.port.ac.uk/2017/02/13/free-public-lecture-shines-a-light-into-our-biological-world/ |
Description | Innovate UK Plastics CEI Discussions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited delegate for discussion on government funding for plastic recycling projects |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Institute of Mechanical Engineers Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Falling out of love with the wonder material - open debate with audience and local MPs |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | International Public Awareness of Research Infrastructure Plenary @ Diamond Light Source UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Science and Society: Engaging with public with plastic-eating enzymes |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | International Resource Panel - Marine Plastic Litter Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This workshop is a contribution to the delivery of the G20 Osaka Blue Ocean Vision (2019) which aims to "reduce additional pollution by marine plastic litter by 2050 through a comprehensive life-cycle approach that includes reducing the discharge of mismanaged plastic litter by improved waste management and innovative solutions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Invited delegate House of Commons - Funding Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Our research was highlighted in the launch of a new government programme - A Vision for Zero Plastic Waste |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.policyconnect.org.uk/events/launch-findings-vision-zero-plastic-waste-project |
Description | Keynote Speaker at the BPF 'Future of Chemical Recycling' Webinar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This BPF webinar, presented in partnership with PlasticsEurope took place on 30 June 2020. The event provided attendees with an in-depth exploration of Chemical Recycling. The event also examined the current position of Chemical Recycling within the recycling infrastructure as well as investigating what the future will bring. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.bpf.co.uk/events/webinars/the-future-of-chemical-recycling.aspx |
Description | Local newspaper highlight on BBSRC projects |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Local interview and press release in local newspaper. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/15099648.Groundbreaking_Largs_professor_in_new_role/ |
Description | MIT Technology Review - Hong Kong |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Invited speak at international technology conference. Industries and investor interest. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.emtechhk.com/ |
Description | National and International News and Media Interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Following the release of our research paper on a plastic-digesting enzyme in PNAS (https://www.pnas.org/content/115/19/E4350) the story was picked up by many media outlets, going out to a global audience of over 150 million people. Coverage includes the press (The Times, The Guardian, and The Economist), television media (BBC,ITV,CNN, CBS, Al Jazeera, China Global News Network, and HBO), and by funding organisations, including the BBSRC and UKRI. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McGeehan |
Description | Opening speaker - EMTech Singapore |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | EmTech Asia: Emerging Technologies Conference |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://emtechasia.com/ |
Description | Panel - Arctic Circle Assembly |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Open discussion panel on marine plastics pollution |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.arcticcircle.org/assemblies/2018 |
Description | Panel member for MAXIV, Europes newest synchrotron |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Ongoing contribution to international biological crystallography panel at MAXVI, Lund |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | Portsmouth City Council |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The discovery of bacteria that can digest plastic |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation to Society of Chemical Industry/Royal Society of Chemistry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk - Plastics, from Cradle to Grave |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presented current research projects to 27 UKRI Executive board members |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Presented latest research to UKRI Executive board members during their visit to the Diamond Light Source |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Probus Organisation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Turning the tide on plastic pollution with enzymes |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Public talk - Southampton Boat Show |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public engagement talk on the effects of plastic pollution and innovative solutions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Recording of video content for new Diamond VMXi beamline |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An active member of the VMXi working group at the Diamond light source. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://vimeo.com/203828475 |
Description | Roundtable at Lambeth Palace, Archbishop of Canterbury |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Worldwide communities affected by plastic pollution |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Royal visit and press |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Involvement with new beamline opening at the Diamond Light Source as 'first academic users'. This presented an opportunity to engage with HRH Princess on on our research project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://uopnews.port.ac.uk/2017/02/15/new-beamline-to-boost-advances-in-biomedical-research/ |
Description | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory - Talking Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Engineering enzymes to digest our most polluting plastics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Solent Energy & Environment Group, HMS Excellent Naval Base |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Can new enzymes help tackle plastic pollution? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Talk and panel - Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum: Reducing waste from single-use plastics: innovation, legal issues and incentives |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/agenda/reducing-plastic-waste-2018-agenda.pdf |
Description | Talk to artists at St Martin's College |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Provided a lecture on the Art of Enzymes to postgraduate students: MS Material Futures CSM - University of the Arts London |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | U3A Science and Technology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Biological solutions for plastic recycling |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | • House of Lords - Addressing the Plastic Challenge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The Portsmouth Centre for Innovation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |