The Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (IndBioCat) group, under the leadership of Professor E. Topakas, is dedicated to advancing biotechnological tools for the purpose of valorizing waste from the food and agroindustrial sectors, along with post-consumer plastics. Our initiatives encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from extracting high-value products from renewable resources to utilizing residual biomass for the production of second-generation liquid biofuels. Furthermore, we are actively engaged in converting and upcycling synthetic polymers. Our sustainability agenda is centered on the creation of efficient and scalable bioprocesses that contribute to waste reduction, optimized resource utilization, and the alleviation of environmental pollution.
The IndBioCat research group will produce ethanol from residual lignocellulosic biomass and food industry wastes, which will subsequently be used for the synthesis of bio-based polyethylene (PE). In addition, IndBioCat will scale up the production of recombinant enzymes capable of degrading the biodegradable PE developed within the framework of the Bio2PEs project.