Metabolic engineering of yeast for the production of methyl methacrylate and its precursors

该项目由三菱化学赞助，重点是开发制造甲基丙烯酸甲酯（MMA）的可持续工艺。三菱化学是MMA生产的世界领导者; MMA是聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯的基础材料，也是油漆、表面涂料、汽车部件和合成骨/关节替代品的关键成分。MMA的全球需求量估计为每年约400万吨。三菱化学的“KAITEKI”愿景要求快速实现可持续制造实践，以解决影响人类、社会和地球的环境问题。为此，三菱化学有一个积极的生物技术计划，旨在开发制造MMA的可持续工艺。这个博士项目将探索通过酵母发酵生产关键中间体化学品的可行性，随后可以使用现有技术将其转化为MMA。成功的候选人将在爱丁堡大学工作，并在先进的合成生物学和代谢工程方面发展专业知识。学生还将在当地生物技术公司Ingenza（www.ingenza.com）进行实习（约3个月），在最先进的商业实验室中进行微生物发酵工作。将在这个项目中开发的关键技能包括代谢途径设计，DNA组装，酿酒酵母中的途径工程，小规模和中试规模发酵过程和分析方法的生物信息学方法。学生还将获得与生物技术行业合作的经验，以开发具有强大商业潜力的新工艺。该项目非常适合对合成生物学和工业生物技术职业感兴趣的学生，无论是在学术界还是在工业界。

This project is sponsored by Mitsubishi Chemical and focusses on the development of sustainable processes for manufacturing methyl methacrylate (MMA). Mitsubishi Chemical are world leaders in the manufacture of MMA; the building block of poly-methyl methacrylate and a key ingredient of paints, surface coatings, automotive components and synthetic bone/joint replacements. Global demand for MMA is estimated at ~4 million tonnes per year. Mitsubishi Chemical's 'KAITEKI' vision demands the rapid realisation of sustainable manufacturing practices to resolve environmental issues that affect people, society and our planet. To this end, Mitsubishi Chemical have an active biotechnology programme aimed at developing sustainable processes for manufacturing MMA.This PhD project will explore the feasibility of producing key intermediate chemicals via yeast-based fermentation, which can subsequently be converted to MMA using established technologies. The successful candidate will be based at The University of Edinburgh and develop expertise in advanced synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. The student will also undertake a placement (approximately 3 months) at local biotechnology company Ingenza (www.ingenza.com), to carry out microbial fermentation work in state-of-the art commercial laboratories. Key skills which will be developed in this project include bioinformatics approaches to metabolic pathway design, DNA assembly, engineering of pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, small and pilot scale fermentation processes, and analytical methods. The student will also gain experience in working with the biotechnology industry to develop new processes with strong commercial potential. This project is highly suitable for a student interested in a career in synthetic biology and industrial biotechnology, either in academia or in industry.