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The £3 million UKRI seed corn fund will support the development and growth of commercial opportunities arising from the previously funded Engineering Biology Mission Hubs, which was announced earlier this year.

Engineering biology has the potential to solve some of our biggest global challenges, from developing new vaccines and therapies, to plastic-free packaging and sustainable fuels for transport.

The 1024�˹��� is to share in, which will help support the work being done by University’s  Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI) which is leading the Preventing Plastic Pollution with Engineering Biology (P3EB) Mission Hub.

The P3EB Mission Hub is a pioneering initiative aimed at transforming end-of-life plastic waste using cutting-edge engineering biology technologies. Working in partnership, the CEI will use its transformative enzyme technology to impart value into plastic waste, incentivising its recovery and retention, and so reducing the amount destined for landfill, for incineration, or being discarded into our environment.

This new seed corn fund aims to drive the commercialisation of engineering biology discoveries and the creation of new engineering biology ventures through support for activities such as:

• scaling of technologies or products with commercial potential
• developing self-sustaining business models
• investor and end-user engagement and market discovery
• enterprise and entrepreneurship training

Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Engineering biology is a technology with transformative potential for our health, the economy and national resilience. From the development of new medicines to creating sustainable fuels, it could significantly help us in our missions to improve healthcare, grow our economy and become a green energy superpower. To seize these opportunities, the Government must work closely with our researchers, academics and businesses.

This funding will be a welcome boost to innovators who are working to get their engineering biology breakthroughs out of the lab, and onto the marketplace. It is also a key part of how we are delivering the National Vision for Engineering Biology.”

Dr Victoria Bemmer, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Enzyme Innovation, 1024�˹��� said:  "We are thrilled to receive a share of the seed corn funding, which we will use to fund activities aimed at stimulating commercial impact from research across the mission hub, via a series of smaller projects probing the technical feasibility and market viability of discoveries from the P3EB Mission Hub work.  The funding also provides an exciting opportunity to develop a series of training events and workshops in commercialisation and innovation for all hub members, from early career researchers to established academics."

Professor Andy Pickford, Director of the CEI and lead principal investigator of the P3EB Mission Hub, said: “This seed corn funding will support early-stage innovation, enabling researchers to deliver environmental and societal impact from their transformative biotechnological solutions, and help promote a transition towards a circular plastics economy.”