Sense and Sustainability

Samantha Bryan is Assistant Professor in White Biotechnology at the University of Nottingham. Her research focuses on engineering bacteria to produce bioplastics, hydrogen, ethylene and high value pharmaceuticals. She is part of the ‘Cells, Organisms and Molecular Genetics’ team in the School of Life Sciences – a diverse, collaborative group of researchers working together to break new ground and make a real impact on the world around us.

Luisa grew up in Italy and obtained her Master's degree from the University of Naples. She moved to the UK to obtain a doctorate at the University of York, working on potential anti-cancer compounds. She has an interest in metalloenzymes and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy. Luisa joined the University of Nottingham to work on polysaccharide degrading enzymes. Her group's research interest focuses on understanding the interaction between polysaccharide-active enzymes and their natural substrates for applications in the fields of biofuel production and sustainable chemistry.

Dr Darren Walsh is an electrochemist and his research group works on a range of projects related to electrochemical energy storage and conversion. He is currently developing the next generation of batteries that can potentially store more energy than in state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. He also enjoys bringing his science to the public; he regularly performs chemistry demonstration lectures for general audiences and is a presenter on the Periodic Table of Videos, an award-winning chemistry channel on YouTube.