Model-driven design of synthetic microbial communities for the upcycling of One-Carbon feedstocks.

Summary

Human-induced climate change caused by the emission of contaminant gases has led to a global crisis affecting society and nature all over the world. Therefore, we urgently need solutions to mitigate these emissions and their effects. This requires a radical change on the way we manage our resources, produce and use our products, and treat our wastes. In a nutshell, it requires the acceleration of the transition towards a circular biobased economy. In this project, we propose a circular approach to achieve 0 net carbon emissions by transforming carbon present in wastes, biomass, or industrial off-gases into valuable products. Synthetic microbial communities have shown to convert gas mixtures (e.g CO, CO₂) derived from waste-carbon into high-value chemicals. In my PhD thesis, I have used mathematical models of the metabolism of microorganisms to gain insights, test hypothesis and guide the design of novel microbial communities for the conversion of gas mixtures into valuable products.