High Value Biorenewables (HVB) Network

Lead Research Organisation: University of York
Department Name: Biology

Abstract

The High Value Biorenewables Network will focus on the discovery, development and application of bio-based chemicals, tools and platform technologies.
Whilst the High Value Biorenewables Network builds on the successes of its predecessor network, the High Value Chemicals from Plants Network, it offers an exciting opportunity to widen the scope beyond plants. This broad scope will enable more biorenewable options to be considered, and consequently, greater likelihood of achieving an industrial biotechnology solution. The Network responds to both the needs of the existing cross-disciplinary community of researchers as well as the desire of industry and society for more biorenewable products and processes.
The Network's membership will be open to all, and the benefits will include access to a range of meetings, workshops and training activities. Academic members will be eligible to apply for funding for innovative research (particularly in areas where they are addressing an industrial problem) and will be able to gain support for their enterprise ideas. Initially membership will be free of charge, but we will work towards payment for membership benefits so that we eventually achieve a sustainable funding model.
The Network has a strong leadership team, with expertise in biorenewables from across academia and industry. Together with wider network expertise, we will address challenges that are common to the exploitation of biorenewables, such as discovery research, production systems and scale-up. This is essential if we are to achieve our objective of having more biorenewable products and processes.
Whilst the High Value Biorenewables Network will have a UK focus to support the bioeconomy and the Government's industrial strategy, it will also have an international aspect promoting the use of UK research capability to address developing world problems and working in collaboration with scientists internationally.

Technical Summary

Discovering, developing and producing High Value Biorenewable (HVB) feedstocks using industrial biotechnology approaches is a very attractive proposition to industry world-wide, as biorenewables have the potential to supersede environmentally damaging petrochemical derived feedstocks.
HVB will facilitate partnership between UK academia and industry, which is essential if we are to fully realise this opportunity for the UK's benefit. We have world-leading academic research in this space and many companies that could benefit from it. Technical expertise in analytical chemistry, phytochemistry, bioinformatics and genomics are essential components in the discovery stage of projects. Biocatalysis, biotransformation and metabolic engineering of host platforms and/or development of cell culture or whole organism production platforms are essential to progress potential opportunities. Other disciplines, like mathematics and computational modelling, can contribute to challenges arising from vast data sets. In addition, environmental and social scientists and economists can study life cycle analysis, consumer acceptance and economics of new processes.
Engagement of organisations like the Biorenewables Development Centre and BiopilotsUK can take projects out of the research laboratory in cases where direct uptake/scale-up by industry is not feasible. HVB members will represent many disciplines and cross-disciplinary approaches will be promoted to take ideas beyond proof of concept, so that issues such as scale-up design, freedom of access and regulatory approval are addressed at an early stage. Inspirational leadership will be provided by academic experts in complementary disciplines and a Management Board with a majority of industry representatives. HVB will facilitate networking, identify and fund training in areas of need, inspire new interest and ideas, and evaluate and fund proof of concept research and enterprise activities that are endorsed and supported by industry.

Planned Impact

WHO WILL BENEFIT?
The HVB Network aims to expand a cross-disciplinary community of research providers and users, providing an environment for building collaborative work that can address a much wider scope than has previously been possible. An independent consultation of existing HVCfP members conducted in June 2017 provided clear evidence that there is already considerable support from the existing HVCfP membership of academic researchers, technology providers, industry (from large international companies to SMEs) to extend and continue the activities conducted by HVCfP. The expanded scope proposed for the HVB Network will break down barriers and expand the relevance and consequently the impact across both academia and industry.
The Network will continue to encourage engagement with the wider public through outreach activities in addition to them being wider beneficiaries of research outcomes from the Network.
The Network will also act as an accessible forum for advice to UK and EU policy makers.
HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT?
Specific benefits for different groups include:
1. For academics: interaction with industry to gain a greater understanding of their needs and how academic research can be of benefit to industry, contact with a wide cross-disciplinary network, access to flexible funding for small-scale proof of concept activities, opportunities for personal professional development, development of research consortia which can construct high quality grant proposals. In addition, early career researchers will benefit from developing their own networks, accessing training and working with senior colleagues on proof of concept projects. The wider scientific workforce such as technicians and technologists will also be encouraged to participate in the new network.
2. For technology providers, HVB will integrate their expertise, particularly seeking advice of how funded projects could be progressed along the Technology Readiness Levels.
3. For industry members, HVB offers the opportunity to provide leadership to guide research outputs through their support of and engagement with proof of concept activity funded through the Network's flexible fund. Consistent with the enthusiasm and support for the HVB network from industry, high value biorenewable products are recognised as being an important component of the IB sector and therefore the UK economy.
4. Policy makers who require evidence for strategies that support the application of IB to further the UK's bioeconomy can access the Network, particularly through the Leadership Team as a panel of experts in this area.
5. The general public will benefit from the outputs of HVB, leading to the sustainable production of novel and innovative biorenewable solutions to existing and emerging challenges. In addition, HVB engagement with this group will enable the uptake of IB research with greater public awareness.
FLEXIBLE FUND IMPACT
HVB will have substantial funds to award - the funding criteria will ensure that impact is integral to the proposed research, while the flexible award structure will ensure a responsive approach to emerging challenges and opportunities. There are good indications that technology development rates will impact on the overall IB market - therefore the Network's proof of concept funds will have a focus on this area, utilising the excellent resources found within the UK's technology providers, such as BioPilotsUK.
High value biorenewables have the potential for major impact on industry and society. The future demand for bio-based products will be driven not only by the reduced availability and increased cost of fossil-based resources but also the potential for new products that cannot be achieved by synthetic chemistry routes alone. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the consumer demand for bio-based products, as more environmentally sustainable alternatives will promote the impact of the HVB's collaborative research.

Publications

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PĂ©rez-Escobar OA (2020) Untapped resources for medical research. in Science (New York, N.Y.)

 
Description High Value Biorenewables is a network which works to promote discovery, development and application of bio-based chemicals, tools and platform technologies. We organise events and activities which facilitate partnership and knowledge transfer between UK academia and industry. In addition, we manage a Flexible Fund which offers funding for proof of concept studies, business interactions, enterprise fellowships and training awards.
The Network's aim is to offer excellent leadership to the industrial biotechnology community in the UK. We have a Management Board drawn from industry and academia to assist the Network's Executive Group in strategic direction, as well as supporting a robust review process for the Flexible Fund.
Exploitation Route As at March 2024 HVB has 983 current members - 55% of whom are affiliated to higher education institutes, 28% to industry and 17% to research organisations and government departments. Among HVB members, 36% are female, 32% are early career researchers and 9% are affiliated to European and international organisations.
HVB has held regular funding rounds for Proof of Concept (PoC) and Business Interaction Voucher (BIV) funding schemes, and has awarded thirty one PoC projects (one of these projects funded by IBioIC as part of a joint funding initiative), nineteen BIV projects, and three Enterprise Fellowships. We have also awarded all of our £1,410,000 Flexible Fund, which attracted an additional investment from industry of £516,999.
The HVB Follow on Fund was open to previous awardees to progress their research along the TRL stages towards Innovate UK opportunities, industry based research, or commercialisation, and made five awards. HVB also had a Training Fund throughout 2023 that made three awards, and was open for applications including from postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, technicians, and professional staff.
To date HVB has organised and held twenty-three events including workshops and four Annual Meetings. In 2024 HVB are planning two training workshops (LCA Training and Pitch Training), and the 2024 Annual Meeting - our showcase event, which will include invited speakers as well as opportunities for HVB members to present their work and network with other members.
Sectors Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net
 
Description High Value Biorenewables (HVB) is a phase II Network in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy (NIBB). HVB's Management Board has good representation from industry (Oxford Biotrans, GSK, Leaf Systems International) which enables the activities to be shaped by industrial demand. As a networking organisation, HVB provides opportunities for industry and academia to develop new links, collaborations and capabilities, and as such the network had a direct impact on the industrial biotechnology sector of the UK economy. To date we have awarded funding to thirty one proof of concept projects (including one funded by IBiolC), nineteen business interaction vouchers and three Enterprise Fellowships. We have awarded all of our £1,410,000 Flexible Fund, which has attracted an additional investment from industry of £516,999. Our 2024 events programme builds on ideas and feedback from members in 2023. Our Annual Meeting will take place in September this year and we will follow this with a pitch training course held over two weeks with both online and in person elements, and we are planning an LCA training course towards the end of the year. As an output from the policy fellowship, co-funded with the Supergen Bioenergy Hub, BBNet and C1Net, we have recently published a policy briefing and report on 'Using biological systems to develop high value products and processes' on our Network website. We also published reports from two of the workshops held in 2023 on 'How biotechnology can unlock higher value from UK break crops' and 'High Value Biorenewables in personal care'. All details of funding and events are reported on the BBSRC-Extranet for HVB activities: https://extranet.bbsrc.ac.uk/nibbp2/hvb/SitePages/Home.aspx
First Year Of Impact 2019
Sector Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology
Impact Types Economic

 
Description Evidence submitted to Government Call for Evidence on the Role of Biomass in Achieving Net Zero
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description Provision of information/evidence on biobased chemicals and materials
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description UK Grown - a review on how biotechnology can unlock higher value products from UK crops
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
Impact New crops grown in the UK to benefit industry, society and the environment
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/news/uk-grown-review/
 
Description Genomes to high value biorenewable products 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact A workshop that explored the current status of genomic technologies and the use of gene tools in relation to High Value Biorenewable Products. The event included short talks from invited academic and industrial speakers to highlight key challenges and opportunities in this research area. A number of delegates also offered short presentations relevant to the workshop theme. This event was linked to HVB's first targeted Proof of Concept Funding call, which closed in September 2019.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/hvb-workshop-genomes-to-high-value-biorenewable-produc...
 
Description HPLC method development workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact This was a training workshop - a two day hands-on HPLC method development workshop which covered analysis, method development and purification. The workshop was delivered by RLC Lab in Loughborough (https://www.rlclab.com/). This was a joint event with AlgaeUK and we funded 12 participants to be in trained in: HPLC theory & practice, method development, sample prep using solid phase extraction, online sample prep using column switching techniques and semi-prep liquid chromatography.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/training-event-hplc-method-development-workshop/
 
Description HVB Annual Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact HVB Annual Meeting was an in person event, held in Harrogate 22-23 September, with ~100 registered participants. The event presented work funded by the network alongside new areas or 'conversation starters' for network members to engage with - including presentations on techno economic analysis, biomass and other policy initiatives, and a DEFRA update on regulating genetic technologies. There was good industrial representation, and we also had an enterprise session with industry speakers. A networking dinner commenced with a pre-dinner speech by Steve Bagshaw on his experiences on the vaccine task force as an exemplar of the impact of industrial biotechnology and research in the the UK in 2021.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/hvb-annual-meeting-2021/
 
Description HVB Annual Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Annual networking meeting, demonstrating the outputs of the Network. With around 120 registered participants, this was a successful event which included two international speakers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/hvb-annual-meeting/
 
Description HVB Annual Meeting, November 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The 2023 HVB Annual Meeting was an in person event, held in Manchester on 14-15 November, with ~100 registered participants. The event included an exciting programme of flash talks, sessions on pathways to products and host organisms, and a showcase of HVB funded projects. This full day event allowed plenty of networking opportunities between the participants.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description HVB Break Crops Workshop: How biotechnology can unlock higher value from UK break crops 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Following on from our UK Grown report, the HVB Network held a one day workshop to bring together experts from different areas of the value chain, seeding new collaborations and knowledge transfer, helping to steer funding and policy and identify challenges and opportunities in the field.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description HVB ECR Networking Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Early Career Researchers (ECR) from industry and academia are invited to a one day event to meet other ECRs, identify areas HVB can support their research and career and plan future events.
Topics including Industrial Biotechnology, Research, Career and Events were used as focus areas. Challenges and opportunities were compiled and built upon by subsequent groups. There was a high level of engagement from the ECRs who were very pleased to have the opportunity to meet, network and discuss ways that HVB can assist them. We now have a long list of ideas for training, events and opportunities which we are working through to deliver as much as possible.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description HVB Enterprise Fellowship workshop: Future Entrepreneurs in the Biobased Sector 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A one day workshop organised to equip HVB members to take their research ideas towards commercialisation. The main objective of the workshop was to support and prepare HVB members interested in applying for the HVB Enterprise Fellowship scheme. In addition, the content was widely applicable for people who are interested in pursuing future careers in bio-based enterprise. The workshop was delivered by BioVale (https://www.biovale.org), with the help of business mentors.
Content covered: Overview of the HVB Enterprise Fellowship scheme; developing your value proposition; introduction to the lean canvas business model; pitch preparation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/hvb-enterprise-fellowship-workshop-future-entrepreneur...
 
Description HVB Training Workshop: Communication for Impact 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This training workshop focused on developing skills to communicate research with a wide audience, essential for engaging with industry, finding collaborators and disseminating science to the public.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description HVB Workshop: Engineering Biology for High Value Biorenewables 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online event focussed on how engineering biology can be used to probe questions in fundamental biology and tackle industrial challenges within HVB scope. The event, held over two days, included presentations from invited speakers and opportunities for HVB members to give short talks. The workshop also included a panel discussion (including Government officials, industry and academia) to explore the potential engineering biology from different perspectives to identify challenges and opportunities.

Over 120 network members registered for this event.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/hvb-workshop-engineering-biology-for-high-value-bioren...
 
Description High Value Biorenewables in personal care: challenges and solutions 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This workshop brought together industrial leaders and SMEs with academic researchers and policy makers to explore the challenges and solutions of biorenewables in personal care. We heard talks from industry leaders on their strategy for developing more sustainable products; from researchers with exciting innovations and from companies providing access to collections of natural feedstock for research and development. This was followed by a group discussion to explore opportunities for research and innovation, infrastructure and support services (including regulation and policy) and considered the scope of a potential new working group.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description IAG was an invited speaker at 'Responsible Innovation: Industrial Biotechnology and Engineering Biology' event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Ian Graham was an invited speaker at the 'Responsible innovation: from industrial biotechnology to engineering biology' online event in January 2021, where he gave an introduction to the HVB Network.
The event was hosted by the Carbon Recycling Network and the Nottingham Synthetic Biology Research Centre, in collaboration with the Institute for Science and Society at the University of Nottingham. The purpose of the event was to "explore current developments, challenges and opportunities for responsible innovation in industrial biotechnology and engineering biology".
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Introduction to the Nagoya Protocol webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact In this free webinar attended by about 40 participants, Dr Jane Collins, an expert in life sciences regulations from KPMG explained what we need to know about responsibly managing genetic resources in compliance with ABS Regulations under the Nagoya Protocol.
he Nagoya Protocol provides a framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources. It is a legal requirement to comply with applicable Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) regulations and researchers working with genetic resources should be aware of its implications.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023