The University of Bath is pleased to announce the arrival of Professor David Leak, an expert in biotechnology, who will be researching into creating biofuels and chemicals from purpose-grown crops, plant waste from food production, and municipal solid waste.
Professor Leak has been appointed as Chair in Metabolic Engineering in the Department of Biology & Biochemistry at the University, following his move from Imperial College London.
He will be working closely with Professor Michael Danson, Director of the University’s Centre for Extremophile Research (CER), on a recently-granted £900,000 Industrial Partnership Award (IPA) from the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The award contains a 10% contribution from the biotechnology company TMO Renewables Ltd, with which the University has worked closely since the company was formed in 2002, on research into generating fuels from food and plant waste.
Currently, in many regions most biofuels are produced using food crops, or crops grown on land that could be used to produce food. The use of waste – food, agricultural and municipal – to produce “second generation” biofuels combats this problem and creates a valuable commodity from waste products that might otherwise cost money for their disposal.
Research funded by the IPA grant will focus on TMO’s heat-loving bacterium, Geobacillus, which can break down plant wastes such as stalks and straw to produce bioethanol. Researchers are aiming to increase the yields of biofuel produced, and to look into using the microbe to create biobutanol, a more efficient fuel than bioethanol, and a range of different chemicals that are difficult to manufacture in the lab.
Professor Danson, Director of the CER, said: “The next generation faces a global energy crisis if we do not develop new sustainable sources of fuel.
“The development of new biotechnologies is key to the future of renewable energy and essential in ensuring the world reduces its dependency on fossil fuels.”
Professor Leak added: “This new Chair is a fantastic opportunity to develop the broad theme of producing fuels and chemicals from renewables. To be done properly, this needs interdisciplinary collaboration between biologists, chemists and chemical engineers, and key people at Bath are already getting engaged in this new venture.
“Working in collaboration with TMO Renewables allows us to ensure the research we carry out goes on to have a real impact, with new technologies commercialised and made available outside the laboratory.”
Dr Steven M Martin, Research Director at TMO said: “We are delighted that Professor Leak is bringing his considerable expertise to Bath.
“His arrival adds to the strength of the Centre of Extremophile Research, which helped in the characterisation of our bacterial strains.
“Our innovative, science-based business can only benefit from developing even closer ties with the University as we refine our products and services to meet the current and future needs of customers. In return we are pleased to be able to bring a commercial perspective to biofuels research.
“It is our hope that we can announce further developments of mutual benefit in the near future based on the excellence that is the hallmark of the Centre.”