Prof. Marco Fraaije receives NWO Perspectief funding for biotech research

Professor Marco Fraaije of the University of Groningen's Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute ( GBB ) will collaborate in a consortium to maximise and optimise biochemical pathways for use in the next generation of Industrial Biotechnology. The project is coordinated by Wageningen University and has received a EUR 4.25 million NWO Perspectief grant.  

Twenty-six partners including universities, societal organisatons and companies will participate in the project. Prof. Marco Fraaije will lead the Groningen group and receives EUR 420,000 to look for and engineer suitable enzymes for the fermentative production of flavour compounds and chemical building blocks.

Better biological factories 

In the project 'INDUSTRIOPHILE: tailored and robust cell-factories for the next-generation Industrial Biotechnology', the consortium will research the development of microorganisms for industrial applications. They will adapt a yeast species and two bacterial strains to efficiently and cost-effectively produce bioplastics, fragrances and flavours, and vegetable oil substitutes such as palm and sunflower oils. 

Marco Fraaije

In 2018, Fraaije received the BIOCAT science award from the Biocat Society at the International Congress on Biocatalysis for his scientific achievement in the field of biocatalysis. Other research prizes include the VICI-NWO research grant (2016), EMBO long-term fellowship (1998) and the Unilever research prize (1993).

Perspectief

The NWO Perspectief programme challenges researchers to collaborate with industry and society organisations to achieve new heights in technological innovation that creates economic opportunities for the Netherlands. The Perspectief programme is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EKZ).

Seven broad research consortia secured a Perspectief grant. UG professor Katja Loos receives more than EUR 6 million for creating sustainable plastic.