Projects funded

Based on the recommendation of the Working Group the Scientific Committee selected seven research projects for funding.

• Improved Whole Cell Biocatalysts for P450 catalyzed API Metabolite Synthesis (PDF 69,9 KB)
  Martin Held (ETHZ, Basel)
• Engineered Halogenases for the Late Stage Functionalization of Added-Value Chemicals(PDF 66,6 KB)
  Rebecca Buller (ZHAW, Wädenswil), Radka Snajdrova (Novartis Pharma AG, Basel), Olivier Loiseleur, Régis Mondiere (Syngenta Crop Protection AB, Basel)
• Construction of a simple S-Adenosylmethionine Regeneration System for Preparative Enzyme Catalyzed Methylation(PDF 67,2 KB)
  Florian P. Seebeck (Universität Basel)
• Supramoleculary Engineered Nanobiocatalysts Capable of Asymmetric Catalysis in Organic Solvents [NanoBioCat](PDF 90,4 KB)
  Patrick Shahgaldian, Philippe F.-X. Corvini (FHNW, Muttenz)
• Biocatalytic Production of (R)-α-ionone(PDF 130,5 KB)
  Rebecca Buller, Dieter Eibl (ZHAW, Wädenswil)
• In situ Immobilized Biocatalysts – Production and Characterization of Catalytically Active Enzyme Inclusion Bodies(PDF 81,4 KB)
  Lukas Neutsch, Christian Adlhart (ZHAW, Wädenswil)
• Biocatalytic Functionalization of Biopolyesters(PDF 108,2 KB)
  Manfred Zinn (HES-SO Valais-Wallis, Sion)

Call «Research Projects»

The call is supporting projects concerned with biocatalysis, i.e. the chemical transformation catalyzed by one or multiple enzymes in any form, and platforms enabling the discovery, application and optimization of biocatalysts.

• Process design of biocatalytic reactions or enzyme production processes  
• Improvement of enzyme scope, robustness and production cost
• Novel biocatalytic transformations (e.g. implementation of underexploited enzyme families, cascade reactions, improved cofactor recycling, enzyme repurposing)
• Generic chassis strain development
• Acceleration of biocatalytic route development (e.g. via bioretrosynthesis, HTS screening methods, smart enzyme library design)
• New applications in biocatalysis (e.g. biopolymers with new properties, functionalization of surfaces, cell free protein expression, diagnostics)

• one page summary of the research project including clear description of objectives pertinent to the call
• project description (5 pages) covering
  - Current state of research and innovation in the fields
  - Innovative potential of the proposed project beyond the state of art including potential applications in industrial biocatalysis and economic and/or societal impact
  - Detailed project plan with goals, methodology, approach and outcomes
• Timeline, milestones and deliverables indicating complementary and expected synergies between collaborators (maximum 1 page)
• Budget (1 page)
• CV of the applicant(s) (maximum 1 page per applicant)
• Letter of support from an authorized signatory of host institute confirming 50:50 co-financing of the project by the hosting research institute.