Cyanofactory

CyanoFactory brings together ten selected leading, highly complementary European partners with the aim to carry out integrated, fundamental research aiming at applying synthetic biology principles towards a cell factory notion in microbial biotechnology. The vision is to build on recent progress in synthetic biology and develop novel photosynthetic cyanobacteria as chassis to be used as self-sustained cell factories in generating a solar fuel. This will include the development of a toolbox with orthogonal parts and devices for cyanobacterial synthetic biology, improvement of the chassis enabling enhanced growth and robustness in challenging environmental conditions, establishment of a data warehouse facilitating the modelling and optimization of cyanobacterial metabolic pathways, and strong and novel bioinformatics for effective data mining. To reach the goal, a combination of basic and applied R&D is needed; basic research to design and construct the cyanobacterial cells efficiently evolving H₂ from the endless resources solar energy and water, and applied research to design and construct the advanced photobioreactors that efficiently produce H₂. Biosafety is of highest concern and dedicated efforts will be made to address and control cell survival and death. The aim, to develop a (photo)synthetic cell factory, will have an enormous impact on the future options and possibilities for renewable solar fuel production. The consortium includes academic, research institute and industry participants with the direct involvement of two SMEs in the advanced photobioreactor design, construction and use. Purpose-designed, specifically engineered self-sustained cells utilising solar energy and CO2 from the air, may be the mechanisms and processes by which we generate large scale renewable energy carriers in our future societies. CyanoFactory offers Europe the possibility to take a lead, and not only follow, in these very important future and emerging technologies!

Partners:

1. UPPSALA UNIVERSITET UU Sweden (Coordinator)
2. HOCHSCHULE MITTWEIDA (FH) UM (Germany )
3. INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR E CELULAR - IBMC IBMC (Portugal )
4. RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM RUB (Germany)
5. UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI UL (Slovenia)
6. THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD USFD (United Kingdom)
7. UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA UPVLC (Spain)
8. KSD INNOVATIONS GMBH UMWELT- UND VERFAHRENSTECHNIK KSD (Germany)
9. CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE CNR-ISE (Italy)
10. M2M ENGINEERING SAS M2M (Italy).

Role of CNR-ISE

The role of CNR-ISE is the “Design and construction of a novel photobioreactor for outdoor production of H2 (culture volume 1000 L), and demonstration of high solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency and long-service time of the system. The work is carried out in close dialogue with M₂M Bioengineering (Italy). The design of the PBR system should be scalable to 1000 KW (about 3 Kg/h H2 equivalent).