Plastic is an extremely valuable and massively used material that unfortunately creates many subsidiary problems.
This project is a part of NMBUs Sustainability Arenas 2021- 2024.
Plastic is derived from fossil fuels, is difficult to recycle (even in a society with effective waste collection systems), degrades slowly in nature (if at all), and has a tendency to convert to increasingly smaller particles (microplastics) that cause problems for living systems. Solving the “plastic problem” is a huge task that requires a wide multi-disciplinary action that a University such as NMBU alone cannot muster. Still, NMBU can contribute by building on recent developments in the field and in its own competence. Besides, NMBU already has ongoing activities that touch upon the plastic problem but that, so far, have remained invisible in a “plastic context”.
Concrete operational goals:
In this Centre, NMBU researchers with complementary competences will join forces to contribute to solving “the plastic problem”, in close collaboration with stakeholders. Building on strong existing competence, we will:
We will join the forces of three Faculties (KBM, BioVit, MINA) and external partners, including plastic producers and environmental organizations. This initiative, with focus in plastic, is part of a wider initiative aiming at developing research, teaching and communication in environmental biotechnology, so, the use of innovative green bio(techno)logical solutions to obtain a cleaner environment.
Project leader: Prof. Vincent Eijsink, KBM; leader of the ERC-Synergy project Cube; specialty areas: enzymology, proteomics.
Other Founding PIs:
(More PIs, including several young research talents are to be added)
Administrative coordinator: Tina Rise Tuveng, researcher, KBM.
The planned activities in the Centre, here collectively referred to as “plastic research” or “plastic activities”, are based on the following starting point:
Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases (LPMOs) are unique mono-copper enzymes evolved to act on the surfaces of insoluble crystalline polysaccharides, such as cellulose.
– Dette haster! Det er ekstremt viktig at vi som samfunn utvikler og tar i bruk ny teknologi for bærekraftig produksjon og resirkulering av alle typer plast, sier prosjektleder Gustav Vaaje-Kolstad, professor ved NMBU.
Trial lecture Eirik G. Kommedal.
Eirik G. Kommedal had his trial lecture "Enzyme technology for recycling of plastics" Tuesday May 24th.
Trial lecture on enzyme technology for recycling of plastics.
Tuesday May 24. at 12pm Eirik Garpestad Kommedal gives his trial lecture with the title "Enzyme technology for recycling of plastics".
Place: Library, Biotechnology building, NMBU.
Leader of the Centre of Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD SFF 2014-2023).
MINA/CERAD has been studying the transfer and environmental impacts of various nano- and microparticles for many decades. In SmartPlast they will study plastic nano and micro particle ecotoxicology, supported by state of the art characterization methodology and isotope tracing techniques. They will also bring expertise on stakeholder engagement and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).
Participants: Ian Brynes, Ole Christian Lind, Dag Anders Brede, Sondre Meland, Yevgeniya Tomkiv.
Multiple meta-omics based projects within microbial ecology; world-leading competence and multiple projects in “holo-omic” studies of host-microbe interactions in animal and fish digestive systems. Project leader SuPA[cow] and ImprovAFish, work package leader HoloRuminant and 3D’omics.
In my research we apply different genomics approaches to understand the link between genomic variation, environmental variation, gene regulation and organismal physiology.
Project manager of ENZYCLIC - Unlocking the potential of enzymatic recycling of plastics.
The project aims to develop new biotechnologies that will allow enzymatic degradation of plastics that currently cannot be recycled biochemically.
Project manager of PLASTPATH - microplastic as an emerging vector for foodborne pathogens in the food chain.
The project will study if environmental microplastic plays a role in the dissemination and protection of bacteria and virus in food and water.
NMBU
Contact info
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