HydRegen secure funding to collaborate with University of Nottingham to increase MRL of their lead products
HydRegen secure BBSRC, EPSRC and IUK grant funding to unlock sustainable biocatalytic hydrogenation
HydRegen and researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering collaborate in a project to unlock sustainable biocatalytic hydrogenation and receive grant funding from BBSRC, EPSRC and IUK to complete the feasibility study.
The joint investment by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Innovate UK will enable HydRegen to tackle the challenges in manufacturing readiness of its technologies, by intensifying and scaling enzyme production with a focus on applying it to a demonstrator process for quinuclidinol production. Quinuclidinol is an important chemical building-block that is used in the production of many important drugs and other end-products and has a variety of uses in organic synthesis. As such, it is an excellent exemplar for novel sustainable manufacturing technology.
The project between HydRegen and the University of Nottingham focused on intensification of metallo-enzyme production to unlock sustainable biocatalytic hydrogenation aims to lower the cost of production for three enzymes that are critical to HydRegen’s production of the chemical building-block quninuclidinol. By validating the cost and sustainability metrics for quinuclidinol manufacture they can produce a ‘license-ready' bio-based manufacturing route for quinuclidinol that meets the needs for reshoring key API production.
The BBSRC, EPSRC and Innovate UK are supporting 34 feasibility studies across the UK to develop and improve sustainable biomanufacturing. The programme aims to enhance UK global competitiveness by supporting research and innovation that focuses on developing new and disruptive sustainable biomanufacturing products and processes that will support UK biomanufacturing in becoming net zero and resource efficient, resilient and responsive, technologically advanced and digital by 2050.
Dr Rhiannon Evans, Head of Enzyme production and Molecular Biology at HydRegen said: “We are excited to embark on this exciting project with Dr Simone Morra, and his team, at the University of Nottingham. His expertise in novel hydrogen cycling enzymes and cutting-edge knowledge will be a great asset in helping us to increase the manufacturing readiness for 3 of HydRegen’s critical metallo-enzymes and builds out our in-house R&D capabilities. This has the potential to make a step-change in HydRegen’s ability to lower cost and increase scalability of hydrogenase production.”
Dr Simone Morra, Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham comments: “I started collaborating with HydRegen back in 2022 via a via BBSRC-NIBB funded project and I’m excited to continue working with them on this new project. My team and I have a deep expertise in novel hydrogenase enzymes that are able to cycle H2 and H+. These are the enzymes of interest to HydRegen due to their unusual balance in ease of production and ease of handling. We have the know-how and facilities in enzyme production spanning early-stage academic research through to evaluation of scalable enzyme production in bioreactors to transfer to HydRegen as part of this collaboration for process intensification and scale up of metallo-enzyme production.”
ENDS
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Notes to editors:
About HydRegen
HydRegen Ltd is pioneering a novel biotechnology that enables more sustainable chemical manufacture. At HydRegen, we are passionate about reducing the environmental impact of chemical manufacturing and committed to enabling companies across the chemicals sector to improve their energy and resource efficiency whilst moving towards continuous manufacturing processes.
https://hydregenoxford.com/
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked in the Top 100 globally and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
The University is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The University is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research. We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/