UKRI/BBSRC-NSF/BIO: Identifying, elucidating and reprogramming synthetic microbial communities for degradation of toxic chemicals: microfluidics enabled high-throughput approaches

This project will lay a solid foundation for creating new transformative technologies for bioremediation of toxic chemicals arising from biomass combustion, a widespread means for renewable energy production but causing severe harm to the environment and human health. The goal of this project is to identify, investigate, and engineer efficient microbial communities for bioremediation of a set of representative toxic chemicals, using high-throughput microfluidic technologies. In particular, the focus is on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and study of microbial consortia consisting of microalgae and multiple bacteria, as an effective mini ecosystem for bioremediation. Additionally, the team consisting of researchers from the University of Michigan in the US and the University of Sheffield in the UK are carrying out educational activities that impact cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students, including female and under-represented minority students. Outreach activities engage the public on topics related to bioremediation and engineering microbiomes, by contributing to K-12 programs, partnering with local organizations, and creating online materials suitable for global audiences. The goal of this project is to identify, investigate, and engineer efficient microbial communities for bioremediation of a set of representative toxic chemicals, using high-throughput microfluidic technologies. In particular, the focus is on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the study of microbial consortia consisting of microalgae and multiple bacteria, as an effective mini ecosystem for bioremediation. To achieve the goal, the bi-national research team is combining complimentary expertise and pursuing three specific objectives: i) enrichment and isolation of microbial strains from relevant environments for biodegradation of representative VOCs; ii) development and application of high-throughput microfluidic technology to screen for top-performing VOC-degrading consortia; and iii) validation and mechanistic investigation of top-performing consortia. The project is intended to generate a multitude of advances in fundamental knowledge and technology development. This collaborative US/UK project is supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), where NSF funds the US investigator and BBSRC funds the partners in the UK. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.