CONSORTIUM
BIOCUF comprises 8 partners from 4 different countries: Türkiye, Greece, Finland, and Italy.
Partners
Gebze Technical University
Gebze Technical University / Gebze Enzyme Recognition Centre (GTU/GERC) was established by Dr. Barış Binay in 2017. GTU/GERC has huge experience in studying identifying, redesigning and synthesis of recombinant industrial, environmental, medical, pharmaceutical enzymes. GTU/GERC has cooperated with many domestic and international partners known for their enzyme studies to conduct projects (Bilateral, COST and H2020), conduct graduate education and organize meetings like the EFB Protein Stabilization 2016 meeting as host. GTU/GERC (Coordinator) will collaborate with the partners of all WPs to perform planned experiments and analyze/report data.
Kafkas University
Kafkas University (Dr. Yunus Ensari from the Bioengineering Department) has experience in identification of novel enzymes, recombinant protein expression and purification, protein engineering through directed evolution and semi-rational approach, and whole cell cascade biocatalysis. The research activities, on novel enzyme identification and protein engineering, of Dr. Ensari is supported by TUBİTAK and TUSEB. In the frame of BIOCUF, Kafkas will be involved in WP1 and WP2 for the engineering and recombinant production of CA and FDH enzymes.
Centre for Research and
Technology Hellas (CERTH)
CERTH has extensive experience in the characterization of CO2 capture solvents as well as in pilot testing and modeling/ optimization of such processes. CERTH has coordinated and participated in numerous EU and national projects on CO2 capture and utilization (e.g., HORIZON HiRECORD and ROLINCAP etc.). CERTH will lead WP3, while CERTH will collaborate with the partners of WP1 and WP2 to attain data and provide feedback regarding the performance of the CA variant in the VLE experiments and in the pilot plant. CERTH will also participate in WP4 and WP5.
Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie
Chmiche “Giulo Natta”, CNR, Milano
CNR (SCITEC) has long experience in the preparation and use of enzyme formulations in both aqueous buffers containing either organic solvents or ionic liquids and in neat organic solvents. This expertise is complementary to those of the partners that will produce improved CA and FDH enzymes (WP1 and WP2), increasing enzyme stability and exploitability in the pilot plant (WP3).
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
The CNR-ICCOM, with assessed skills in organic synthesis of molecules for solar energy conversion applications, catalysis and photocatalysis (DSSC, LSC, photocatalytic H2 production, Water splitting and DS-PEC), in this project he will be involved in WP2 and WP3, and in particular in the development of the system regarding the regeneration of the cofactor through the use of electrochemical or photocatalytic methods. CNR-ICCOM will also perform the LCA.
Tampere University
Researchers at the Tampere University specialize in the recombinant protein expression, purification and production of various CA enzymes and in the design of structural models and catalysis research of CA and FDH enzyme. In addition, the research community at Tampere University has experience in bioimaging, bioinformatics, genome-wide methods, non-mammalian model organisms, proteomics, stem cell and genome modification, and viral gene transfer and cell therapy. Tampere university will participate in WP1 and WP2 in activities pertaining to the CA and FDH and in WP3 in activities pertaining to the removal with beads of the enzymes.
Agricultural University of Athens
The Laboratory of Enzyme Technology is a formally founded research unit of the Agricultural University of Athens. Research covers many areas of biotechnology including enzyme and protein engineering (including FDH and CA), microbial and cell culture technologies, protein downstream processing as well as enzyme biosensors. Prestigious funding agencies that have supported the research include the EU (Horizon), NATO, Bill & Melinda GATES Foundation etc. The group has published more than 220 papers in international research journals and books. It will be involved in WP2, and in particular in engineering of FDH for the development of improved enzyme variants.
Cicci Research s.r.l.
Cicci Research s.r.l. is a private start-up company established in 2016 from a research activity performed inside the Center for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy (CHOSE) of the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”; the core business is Arkeo: an advanced testing platform for optoelectronic devices and Charon: a sheet to sheet slot die based coater. Cicci Research instruments are reported on more than 200 scientific publications. Cicci is one of the organizer of the annual summer school ISOPHOS devoted on novel materials for renewable energy. In this project Cicci will be involved in the preparation of an electrochemical apparatus for the regeneration of cofactor and in the in-line analysis of concentrations of co-factor and formate (WP2 and WP3) and dissemination taking advantage of the ISOPHOS event.
Biocuf 