Biotechnology: Unleashing the Power of Science

In this talk, Dr Roberts will discuss how technologies developed for human space exploration could promote sustainability on Earth – with a focus on bio-based construction materials. He will showcase several unconventional approaches he has developed, highlighting how the solution to the challenge of extraplanetary human habitation might have been inside us all along…

Biomanufacturing and biotechnology are complex processing areas that deal with living organisms, often used to produce advanced medical therapies. It is essential to manage and streamline bioprocesses, lower carbon emissions whilst also reducing costs. Gabriele designs and applies nano-diamond sensors for remote surveillance of industrial chemical production, whilst Matthew supports development by examining the molecular machinery of single-cell photosynthetic bacteria. They will discuss their work, and differing perspectives as an Engineer and Biologist respectively working on biomanufacturing.

In the Megarity lab at the University of Manchester, we take inspiration from nature and combine it with the power of electrochemistry to drive biological catalysts (enzymes) using electricity. We isolate a key enzyme from photosynthesis called FNR, trap it inside the tiny pores of an electrode, and zap it with electricity, powering it to catalyse a chemical reaction. When we jam-pack the pores with lots of other enzymes, we can also drive them with electricity (through FNR) to work in concert, catalysing important chemical reactions such as the synthesis of a pharmaceutical drug.