Network in Biocatalyst Discovery, Development and Scale-Up

工业生物技术有可能通过使用天然酶（生物催化剂）创造更环保的制造工艺来改变化学工业，从而减少温室气体排放、能源消耗和有毒废物。目前，我们所依赖的许多日常家用产品，包括塑料、药品、农用化学品、聚合物和化妆品成分，都是从油基原料中提取的。对石油的竞争非常激烈，超过80%的石油被用于发电和运输燃料。此外，全球供应正在减少，因此有必要建立一种基于可再生和可持续原料的替代生物经济。这些原料需要加工和升级，以便提供目前从石油资源中制造的各种化学品。生物催化剂提供了一种有吸引力的方法，目前确实在某些情况下大规模用于生产特定的化学产品。然而，在未来10-20年内，有必要在化学工业中更广泛地实施这项技术。该网络在生物催化剂的发现，开发和扩大规模将有助于塑造工业生物技术在英国的未来，解决一些关键的挑战，摆在前面。该网络将汇集来自学术和工业部门的研究专业知识，以及参与供应链的人员，以及制造商和最终用户，以应对这些机会。对于科学界希望利用生物催化和工业生物技术开发生产高价值化学品的可持续过程的人来说，获得学术实验室开发的生物催化剂，以及工业界识别、筛选和扩大各种生物催化剂生产规模的能力，已被确定为进入该领域的主要障碍。通过确定优先领域、促进合作、分享最佳做法和开展概念验证研究，该网络将寻求开发利用工业生物技术的新的生物催化过程。该网络还将促进和发展英国在国际上的声誉，并加强与其他IB卓越领导者的联系。我们将与欧洲、美国、亚洲及其他地区的其他卓越中心合作，提供最佳实践的例子，特别是涉及BBSRC资助的研究。除了提供获得英国生物催化社区现有专业知识的机会外，该网络还将通过帮助培训和支持下一代IB科学家，提供技能基础，以解决未来生物催化过程吸收的障碍。对年轻科学家的培训被视为更多地采用生物技术的一个重要组成部分。最后，该网络还将参与范围广泛的传播和外联活动，以便教育更广泛的社区了解工业生物技术的好处及其对人们生活可能产生的影响。除了应对科学和技术挑战外，该网络还将适当考虑环境、社会经济和政策相关问题，这些问题在我们从石油经济向以可再生原料为基础的经济过渡的过程中非常重要。

Industrial biotechnology has the potential to transform the chemical industry by creating more eco-efficient manufacturing processes using natural enzymes (biocatalysts) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and toxic waste products. Currently many of the day-to-day household products that we rely on, including plastics, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, polymers and cosmetic ingredients, are derived from oil-based feedstocks. Competition for oil is intense, with more than 80% being used for generation of energy and as a transportation fuel. Moreover, global supplies are dwindling and hence there is a need to generate an alternative bio-economy based on renewable and sustainable feedstocks. Such feedstocks need to be processed and upgraded in order to provide the broad range of chemicals that are currently manufactured from oil based resources. Biocatalysts offer an attractive approach and indeed are currently used in some cases on large scale for production of specific chemical products. However, over the next 10-20 years it will be necessary to implement this technology more broadly in the chemical industry.This Network in Biocatalyst Discovery, Development and Scale-Up will help to shape the future of Industrial Biotechnology in the UK by addressing some of the key challenges that lie ahead. The Network will bring together research expertise from the academic and industrial sectors, along with those involved in supply-chains and also the manufacturers and end-users to address these opportunities. Access to biocatalysts developed by academic laboratories, together with the ability of industry to identify, screen and scale-up production of a broad range of biocatalysts, have been identified as major barriers to entry for those in the scientific community wishing to use biocatalysis and Industrial Biotechnology for the development of sustainable processes for the production of high value chemicals. By identifying priority areas, promoting collaboration, sharing best practice, and undertaking proof of concept studies, the Network will seek to develop new biocatalytic process that exploit industrial biotechnology. This Network will also promote and develop the reputation of the UK internationally and reinforce links with other world leaders in IB excellence. We shall engage with other Centres of Excellence in Europe, USA, Asia and beyond to provide examples of best practice, particularly involving BBSRC sponsored research. As well as providing access to the established expertise of the UK biocatalysis community, the Network will provide the skills base to tackle future barriers to the uptake of biocatalytic processes by helping to train and support the next generation of IB scientists. Training of young scientists is seen as a vital component of the greater uptake of biotechnology.Finally the Network will also engage in a broad range of dissemination and outreach events in order to educate the wider community as to the benefits of industrial biotechnology and the potential impact that it can have on peoples lives. In addition to addressing scientific and technological challenges, the Network will give due consideration to environmental, social economic and policy related issues that are important as we transition from an oil-based economy to one based on renewable feedstocks.