21ENGBIO_Metagenomic Engineering Platform for Bioremediation

Human impact upon the environment is among the biggest threats to the planet and humanity. Contamination of the natural environment with xenobiotics (e.g., with heavy metals, plastics, halogenated compounds etc) causes significant challenges in terms of containment and remediation. For example, the global appetite for plastic products has transitioned our planet into an era of the "Plastic Age".

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic is the most commonly used plastic in the packaging of beverages, food and pharmaceuticals. Although regarded as non-toxic and 100% recyclable, single use convenience-sized PET bottles have made PET plastic the third most collected debris in beach clean-ups in more than 100 countries and is overwhelmingly omnipresent in the terrestrial ecosystem.

Microbial and enzyme-based plastic waste biodegradation and recycling offer promising solutions to address plastic bio-recycling due to the use of benign conditions and potential as a cost-effective environment-friendly approach. Therefore, there is great interest in finding better strategies for PET bioconversion and recycling through engineering robust enzymes and microbial strains for its degradation, uptake and assimilation.

This project will seek to use Synthetic Biology approaches to develop a platform for bioremediation of contaminated environments, for example the removal and assimilation of plastic derived breakdown products. This will provide novel approaches as a means of decontamination and environmental regeneration.

Implementation of the bioremediation concept as proposed will ultimately require demonstration of safety in field trials, full engagement with regulatory authorities, and early and ongoing attention to responsible research and innovation. To develop the idea, we will commit time and effort to anticipating regulatory requirements, sustainability considerations, and societal aspects including potential societal concerns.