The UK chemicals and materials industry underpins 96% of all manufactured goods, making it indispensable to sectors like healthcare, food, energy, and technology. As a critical enabler of green growth, this sector has the potential to generate over £544 billion annually by 2050, supporting high-quality jobs and bolstering local economies across the UK. The UK-ASCM is committed to harnessing this potential by driving innovation, promoting circular carbon feedstocks, and reshoring production to enhance domestic resilience.

“With the formation of the UK-ASCM, we have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the UK’s economic future, our environment, and our communities,” said Dr Jen Vanderhoven, COO of the Biobased and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) “Sustainable chemicals and materials are essential to achieving a net-zero economy and securing our industrial strength in a competitive global market.”

We at IBIC, along with a diverse network of partners, are dedicated to addressing the complex challenges facing the sector, including the need for sustainable feedstocks and a circular economy. Through collaboration and shared expertise, the alliance will advance solutions that reduce dependency on fossil resources, enhance resource efficiency, and promote sustainable innovation across the industry.

“Sustainable chemicals are fundamental to building a resilient, sustainable society. By bringing together leaders from industry and academia, the UK-ASCM will catalyse the research and development needed to accelerate the transition to sustainable materials,” said Professor Anju Massey-Brooker, Royal Society of Chemistry.

As the global economy increasingly turns toward sustainable solutions, the UK chemicals and materials sector has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the way. With strategic investments and collaborative innovation, the UK-ASCM aims to elevate the sector’s role in national and international sustainability efforts.

To achieve this step-change, UK-ASCM urges the UK Government to:

• Devise a long-term roadmap and a stable policy environment to enable investment in research, development, commercialisation and manufacture of sustainable chemicals and materials, to benefit communities across the UK and achieve green economic growth.
• Work with the chemicals and materials sector to ensure the UK landscape supports this growth,  from feedstocks to infrastructure and skills, to ensure the development of resilient UK supply chains.
• Develop and implement policies shaping markets to enable the UK’s transition to sustainable chemicals and materials, including the leveraging of public procurement to create demand for sustainable chemicals and products manufactured in the UK

For more information on the UK Alliance for Sustainable Chemicals and Materials, please visit .

The Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy (CIRCLE) UK team will be led by Dr , Reader is Sustainable Biotechnology at the 91ֱ�� Institute of Biotechnology, alongside a team of international academics. Also part of the project are Professors and , and Drs , and Micaela Chacon.

CIRCLE aims to address the global challenge of anthropogenic waste by closing the loop and using it as a feedstock for the chemicals industry. Much of the waste produced by society is a rich source of carbon, a building block for many important chemicals and materials found in everyday products such as plastics, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. CIRCLE will identify and employ novel biotechnological processes to break down this waste into its chemical components and avoid the need for virgin petrochemical feedstocks.

This project will bring together academic expertise from across the globe, including the US, Canada and South Korea.

The 2024 Global Centres awards focus on advancing bioeconomy research to solve global challenges, whether by increasing crop resilience, converting plant matter or other biomass into fuel, or paving the way for biofoundries to scale-up applications of biotechnology for societal benefit.  The programme supports holistic, multidisciplinary projects that bring together international teams and scientific disciplines, including education and social sciences, necessary to achieve use-inspired outcomes. All Global Centres will integrate public engagement and workforce development, paying close attention to impacts on communities.

“Alongside replacing fossil fuels, there is an urgent need to replace petrochemical industrial feedstocks across a wide range of sectors. This is a global challenge that requires global solutions and UKRI is delighted to be partnering in the NSF Global Centres 2024 programme to meet this need”, said UKRI CEO, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser. “The announcement today will be at the forefront of real-world solutions, from improved recycling to new bioplastics, building a sustainable circular economy. The centres will create the global networks and skills needed to drive a thriving bioeconomy benefitting all.”

Announced last night, the project unveiled its new name, , in a celebration to mark the upcoming opening of the first building, the Renold Innovation Hub. A hub where the north west’s most exciting early-stage businesses will have streamlined access to the world-class expertise of the University.

Aligned to Sister’s four core specialisms – digital technology, health innovation, biotechnology, and advanced materials and manufacturing – IBIC are delighted to announce that we are one of the four catalysts that will be based in the Renold Innovation Hub, supporting spin-out and start-up businesses to grow and shape their offerings through specialist advice, training, and access to facilities and equipment.

Renold and the Sister site sits adjacent to the University campus, including the , opening up access to leading global experts, state-of-the-art facilities and collaboration opportunities that will help accelerate innovation and business growth.

We are excited to be part of this vibrant and collaborative community, that will bring like-minded individuals together, offer tailored training and support, bring in the local community, and create opportunities for all those involved.

The inspiration for the name Sister comes from a 1960s report into the UK’s higher education landscape. The Robbins Report was put before government in 1963 with various recommendations to improve higher education. All of its recommendations were accepted, bar one; the recommendation to create “Special Institutions for Scientific and Technological Education and Research”. The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) was earmarked to become a SISTER. But it never was.

60 years later, on that same site, the vision of Sister was realised, reimagined for the 21^st century, and carefully thought out to support and solve the challenges of translating research into application.

The brewing industry's hidden treasure

Beer and lager production primarily uses four ingredients: yeast, water, hops, and barley. After brewing, the remaining solids, known as brewing spent grains (BSG), are often discarded (at a cost) or given away to farmers for animal feed. Local brewery data indicates that approximately 200 kg of mixed grains are used per 1000 litres of beer. The UK alone produces around . BSG is in essence a source of organic carbon polymers that can be used across almost every manufacturing industry.

Current challenges in processing 

Existing technologies can break down the polymers in BSG but they often come with high costs attached. These methods typically involve heating the substrate to over 600°C at high pressures or using strong acids/alkali to break the structure. Such processes are energy-intensive with environmental challenges making it cheaply and effectively.

Innovative research at the University of Salford

At the University of Salford, researchers are exploring new ways to extract value from waste. PhD candidate Danny Wales, under the guidance of Dr Natalie Ferry, Dr Ale Diaz De Rienzo, and Dr Rosa Arrigo, is working on a greener, cleaner, more cost-effective method to extract valuable chemical compounds from BSG. This innovation has the potential to reduce the brewing industry's carbon footprint while providing breweries with an additional revenue stream. Through IBIC the University of Salford has partnered with The Lubrizol Corporation: Specialty Chemicals, a global innovator of science-based solutions, to explore BSG as a source of green alternatives to molecules found in products used by people every day.

Biological catalysts

The team is focusing on bacterial and fungal enzymes capable of breaking the molecular bonds within and between polymers found in BSG. By using different enzymes for specific breakdown processes, they aim to make . Danny's interest in brewing, which began during his master’s in biotechnology at Salford, has led him to apply his sequencing and genomics skills, to to find enzymes that degrade the most indigestible fractions of BSG.

Two target chemicals which Danny is intending to produce from the research are and , chemicals used in plastics and pharmaceuticals among other industries. These have a projected 2030 international value of £95.3billion and £589.1million respectively making them valuable commodities, producing a potential income for brewers from their waste. 

The versatility of Furfural

Furfural, which can be obtained from BSG, is a versatile chemical ingredient. Through catalytic hydrogenation, furfural can be transformed into various valuable products:

1. Furfuryl alcohol (FA): used in making resins, lubricants, plasticisers, and fibres.
2. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA): a green solvent used in printer inks and agriculture.
3. Furan and tetrahydrofuran (THF): used as fuel additives or surfactants.

As part of the University of Salford consortium, Dr Rosa Arrigo is exploring the use of heterogeneous catalysts in these transformations.

Advancements in catalysis

Dr Rosa Arrigo and her team have made significant strides in converting furfural into useful compounds. Their recent publication in ChemCatChem highlights the use of . These NPs allow for lower hydrogen gas pressures during reactions, reducing costs and enhancing safety. The team are able to control the size and shape of the NPs, resulting in (fig 3).

This research highlights the importance of collaboration involving institutions from the UK, Italy and Spain with Diamond Light Source and the UK Catalysis Hub (at the Research Complex at Harwell). Advanced characterisation techniques, such as atomic-resolution imaging and spectroscopy, enabled the team to analyse the synthesised materials at the atomic level, providing deep insights into how their structure affects catalytic properties.

The impact of particle size

A key finding from Rosa’s research is the impact of nickel particle size on the hydrogenation process. Smaller particles primarily produce furfuryl alcohol, while larger particles lead to further hydrogenation into furan. This understanding allows for the selective production of specific chemicals, leading to .

Broader implications for the brewing industry

The innovative work at the University of Salford is just one part of a broader effort to advance biotechnology and support the brewing industry. The headed by Dr Ale Diaz De Rienzo and Prof Ian Goodhead, collaborates with brewers to sequence unique yeast varieties, test new equipment, and eliminate bacterial contamination in breweries. They are also launching brewing training as part of government-led apprenticeship programmes.

Recently Dr Silvia Tedesco from the has joined the team and is contributing her chemical engineering experience on lignocellulosic waste conversion to levulinic acid (which is usually co-produced along with furfural) in .

Through the power of industrial collaboration, researchers at the University of Salford are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also paving the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for the brewing industry and beyond. Their work demonstrates how waste can be transformed from a source of environmental concern into a valuable resource, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

Written by Daniel Wales, Natalie Ferry, Rosa Arrigo (School of Science, Engineering and Environment at the University of Salford), and Silvia Tedesco (Centre for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Salford)

There are three new schemes available to IBIC members, they are the:

Relationship development scheme

This scheme offers up to £10,000 to foster new relationships between industry and academic researchers to create collaboration and knowledge exchange opportunities. We also look to support market discovery, patent applications by providing research evidence or creating licencing opportunities, as well as building relationships with end users of new technologies.

Proof-of-concept scheme

This scheme offers up to £30,000 to support the early stages of transforming research outputs into commercial opportunities. Therefore, the proof-of-concept scheme is available to support early evaluation prototypes or 'demonstrators', initial trials in a particular field, or 'scoping exercises'.

Secondment exchange sheme

This scheme offers up to £60,000 flexible support for secondments between our university partners and businesses and organisations. The secondments will focus on developing specific commercial industrial biotechnology research outputs while also extending the culture and skills for business engagement at our university partners.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for one (or more) of the schemes, please visit our for more information. All project applications must meet the scope of the IBIC funding:

• To accelerate academic research into the industrial biotechnology sector
• To have an impact on the north-west

Please see the for more details on these requirements.

Deadline for submissions to this call is 30 September 2024.

• Sustainability
• Feedstocks
• CO2 reduction
• Automation
• Productivity
• Re-use of waste streams

Date: Thursday 18 July

Time: 10am - 2pm

Location: The University of Salford

Indicative schedule:

09.30-10.00    Arrival, registration, coffee, networking

10.00-10.20    Welcome and introduction to the event – Dr Alejandra Diaz De Rienzo, Lecturer in Biomedicine, University of Salford

10.20-10.40    Knowledge exchange – Larkhill Case of Manchester -  Michael Brown, Director of Strategic Industry Partnerships, University of Salford

10.40-11.00    The MicroJoule BrewLab – an overview of current work and facilities Dr Natalie Ferry, Senior Lecturer in Biotechnology, University of Salford plus Daniel Wales (MSc), University of Salford

11.00-11.20    Coffee break

11.20-11.40    Larkhill Brewery - Changmin Lee, Head Brewer, Larkhill Brewery and Dr Alejandra Diaz De Rienzo, Lecturer in Biomedicine, University of Salford

11.40-12.00    The MicroJoule BrewLab – Research highlights Prof Ian Goodhead, Professor in Microbial Genomics, The University of Salford and Sean Brierley, University of Salford

12.00-12.20    An overview of robotics/automation in brewing industry Mike Richards-Brown, NERIC

12.20-12.40   IBIC Programme and funding calls/opportunities Sabina Hawthornthwaite, IBIC Programme Manager, The University of Manchester

12.40-12.45    Wrap-up Dr Alejandra Diaz De Rienzo

12.45 – 2.00    Lunch & networking

Close

Opportunities

• Biomanufacturing could help us tackle anthropogenic waste (including agro-industrial and forestry resides, food waste, minicpal solids waste, industrial off-gas, and agricultural slurry and sewage) by using it as a feedstock for industrial processes.

Challenges

• Current waste management processes are not set up to valorise waste.
• It could be too hard for consumers to sufficiently sort their waste to ensure consistency in the feedstocks, especially if waste management infrastructure is inconsistent.
• Current feedstocks are vaguely described and are subject to seasonal variability which impacts upon biomanufacturing processes.
• There may be conflicting priorities for utilising biomass for energy or sustainable aviation fuel.

Feedstock availability and quality

As with any business, one of the main drivers for the adoption of new technologies is cost. Biomanufacturing is no exception and the cost associated with the feedstock materials comes up as one of the main challenges. However, alongside this there are other considerations around which feedstocks would be sustainable including availability, composition, consistency, and security of supply.

These factors are interconnected and create a complex picture when assessing the feedstocks landscape in the north-west. It also raises issues around how the feedstocks could be graded to ensure fungibility.

Turning waste into "wealth"

The promise of biomanufacturing is the potential to use biomass and anthropogenic waste streams as feedstocks for industrial processes. However, our current waste management is not structured in a way that will realise the value of this rubbish. It would take a holistic educational approach to show companies and consumers how their waste could be used in sustainable manufacturing to engender the change needed to ensure a steady feedstock supply.

One way this educational process could begin would be to show purchasing and sales teams the opportunities available through using their waste as feedstocks. For example, representatives from the brewing industry indicated that one-third of their waste could be used to carbonate their beer, whereas the remaining two-thirds could go into a resilient waste network. However, craft breweries are not often co-located and so linking them together to ensure waste re-use is a challenge.

For the consumer, it would be as simple as making sure it’s easy and clear on how to separate household waste so that it can be taken away and used in biomanufacturing. But, without the right infrastructure in place this system could be hard for people to achieve, especially if waste management is not consistent across the country.

Even if waste were consistently separated, ensuring uniformity within that waste is a challenge, and this can have a knock-on impact on the end-user. Impurities and seasonal variations will be common, as seen in the brewing industry where grains in their recipes differ for different seasons. This, combined with the fact that bio-feedstocks are often vaguely described by suppliers, means that there can be massive impacts on the biological systems within a manufacturing process.

Learnings from anaerobic digestion

Society already makes use of anaerobic digestion to recycle waste and produce useful bioproducts such as biogas. This industry has gone some way to solving the waste variability issue by implementing a sampling mechanism that is used to test the quality of the feedstock before it is fed into the bioreactor. Alongside this, the industry also has in place quality protocols to ensure that products meet the needs of the end user. For example, any fertilisers that are produced meet the needs of farmers.

To tackle the potential inconsistency in feedstocks, the biomanufacturing industry could consider blending and optimising the waste streams.

Incentivising change

To realise a sustainable biomanufacturing industry, there need to be key elements in place that drive the change. This usually takes the form of consistent, clear, underpinning regulations and legislation and business incentives that help smooth the transition. This pathway has already been forged in the automotive industry with the switch to electric vehicles, and so another coordinated investment strategy for the chemical industry could also be devised.

Future solutions

To address these challenges, several actions could be taken:

• Map the current residual carbon and waste streams to identify priority areas and suitable management action plans.
• Scale-up the infrastructure including biorefineries to ensure waste streams can be effectively managed.
• Develop a consistent pre-treatment process in conjunction with stratification to identify the correct feedstocks for the relevant microorganisms so that value-added products can be made.
• Create a programme of change to support the industrial transition, underpinned by government regulation and business incentives.

This foresighting workshop was made up of 16 participants from different stakeholder groups: academics, specialty chemicals, biorefinery, anaerobic digestion and biogas, climate change research, biosurfactants manufacture and independent breweries.

This article was put together by Ling Li Boon and Dr Neil Dixon.

Opportunities

• with a global focus on sustainability and meeting net zero, there is a desire and drive to find new ways of manufacturing societal goods.

Challenges

• access to a skilled workforce is limited, with a narrow educational pipeline for those looking to enter the industry.
• biomanufacturing is still often more expensive than traditional production methods.
• renewable feedstocks are limited in supply.
• regulatory pathways are unclear and do not support a transition to a new bioeconomy.

Global targets and a communal drive

It is generally well-accepted that human activity must change if global climate targets are to be met. Industry, governments, and individuals all seek to reduce climate change through defossilisation, disruptive technologies, new policies, and collective action. Awareness and adoption of sustainable practices within industry is usually driven by regulation for business-to-business (B2B) companies, whereas business-to-consumer (B2C) companies are predominantly influenced by consumer behaviour.

Addressing the challenges

To ensure a scalable and sustainable industry there needs to be a steady stream of skilled workers, enough feedstocks to keep the bioreactors running, and geopolitical stability alongside large-scale infrastructure to keep cost and affordability within acceptable thresholds.

Currently the educational pipeline is not producing enough workers to fills the niche jobs required by the industry, for example, it is anticipated that the gene therapy industry will have 7,000 new jobs by 2026, with only a fraction of the graduating cohort possessing the requisite skills to enter the industry.

Alongside this, the currently level of infrastructure for biomanufacturing is small and sourcing enough feedstocks to produce commodity chemicals at scale is difficult. Without large infrastructure and a secure source of feedstocks, biomanufactured chemicals tend to be less cost efficient that chemicals manufactured via current processes.

To scale up to the necessary levels takes time, money, and regulatory support, which is currently preventing industry from making the change. However, this presents a chicken and egg situation with industry unlikely to change without a regulatory need to do so, and regulators reluctant to make changes if it could impact upon the economics of our industries.

Within the north-west

Currently, Liverpool and 91ֱ�� are recognised as manufacturing strongholds with readily available production operators. However, outside of these hubs it is harder to find operators possessing critical biomanufacturing skills, particularly in fermentation. This may be attributed to a lack of awareness regarding transferrable skills, with a disconnect between the chemical manufacturing industry and the extensive fermentation knowledge within the food and brewing industry.

In terms of infrastructure, the north-west is generally a good place for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to collaborate with other companies within the space. For example, a workshop participant highlighted their positive experience as an SME collaborating with other companies within the waste management and supply chain space, and repurposing equipment from other industries for their own manufacturing site.

Future solutions

To address these challenges, several actions could be taken:

• promote cross-industry skills transfer and create mechanisms to support continuing professional development (CPD).
• recognise the diverse applications of industrial biotechnology beyond biopharmaceutical manufacture.
• create a scale-up network to assist with utilities, equipment sourcing, and entrepreneurial mentoring.
• construct a facility equipped with pilot plants for small companies to utilise for demonstration or toll manufacturing.
• establish a distinct ‘biomanufacturing’ identity in the UK.

Looking ahead, the future of sustainable biomanufacturing involves cultivating a resilient ecosystem of biotechnology companies and infrastructure in the north-west with support from government to ensure a strong education ecosystem, getting biomanufacturing on Local Enterprise Partnership agendas and continuing the map the infrastructure and sector in the north-west to identify and fill any gaps.

This foresighting workshop was made up of ten participants from different stakeholder groups, from consumer goods, biopharmaceuticals, biosurfactants manufacturers, academia, to innovation catalysts and emerging technology governance. The size of the companies ranged from global, mid-sized to spin-out companies, allowing for distinction between their capabilities and infrastructure.

This article was put together by Ling Li Boon and Dr Neil Dixon.

Opportunities

• The north-west has an extremely strong higher education sector which places it in the perfect position to train the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Challenges

• There is a skills gap between what industry needs and what students are taught.
• Few re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities for mid-senior career workers.
• The cost of education is a barrier to many wishing to continue their education.
• Diversity and inclusion in science and engineering disciplines is poor, mainly due to the barriers to entry.

Education

The north-west has a very strong educational sector, with at least six universities in the region offering a myriad of courses that feed into the biomanufacturing skills pipeline. However, there is still a disconnect between the skills needed by industry and the education provided by the university curriculum. Without a joined-up approach from higher education and businesses, the number of graduates with the requisite skills to support a growing bioeconomy is likely to be limited.

The universities of the region recognise this skills gap and are actively taking steps to incorporate business elements into courses to help develop commercial awareness. Many also have industrial advisory boards who advise on curriculum content and pair courses with enterprise units so that students get a balance of academic tutoring and real-world business skills.

Workforce skills

A multidisciplinary workforce is an asset that allows for more creative problem solving, more efficient processes, and better diversity. Moving away from ‘functional bunkers’, allows for cross-pollination between disciplines and chances for re-skilling and up-skilling. Alongside the need for cross-boundary working is also the need for strong numeracy, literacy, and digital skills to understand the vast and rapidly changing data and statistics, as well as being able to write technical reports. However, for our current workforce, especially those in the mid-to-upper levels, it can be easy to become entrenched in one field with few opportunities to break down silos.

A participant with a chemistry background highlighted that they took part in a knowledge transfer secondment to receive molecular biology-related training and this was an effective way to upskill. It also helped the participant to easily incorporate biology learning materials into non-bio courses. Through these secondments, it would be useful for scientists to have a glimpse of industry processes and requirements, as well as enabling long-term networking. However, SMEs may not have the resources to send their workforce off for a period to upskill, hence workplace learning practices should be further explored and improved.

Diversity and inclusion

Companies with a diverse workforce are 36% more likely to outperform non-diverse companies. However, many science and engineering disciplines struggle to attract diversity, something that is recognised both in the education sector and in industry.

Both higher education and companies have implemented programmes that are designed to increase diversity and encourage inclusion. Yet there are still barriers for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds wanting to access higher education in the form of high tuition fees, increasing living costs, and poor job prospects upon graduation.

One route in is through degree apprenticeships, and while they are a successful mechanism for increasing inclusion, they have become a victim of their own success with many programmes oversubscribed. There are also only a limited number of degree apprenticeships available, mostly within business and engineering, leaving the life sciences underserviced.

Ultimately, this results in graduates largely coming from middle- and upper-class backgrounds, with little ethnic diversity. Companies naturally want to hire from the top performing early career candidates, but this leaves many EDI issues unaddressed.

Future solutions

To address these challenges, several actions could be taken:

• Universities and businesses could work more closely together to design courses that are both academic and practical and support industrial needs.
• For those already in the workforce, more desk-based learning opportunities could be made available (such as the IB MOOC).
• Further practical training opportunities should be made available for those early in their careers to gain skills in things such as microbial handling and manipulation.

The future workforce for industrial biotechnology could be vastly improved with better collaboration between industry and higher education. Both have a duty to put in place checks the mean they meet EDI criteria, and everyone is afforded the same opportunities to progress through their chosen career.

This foresighting workshop was made up of eighteen participants from different stakeholder groups, from biopharmaceutical and biomanufacturing companies, Higher Education Institutions, trade associations and life sciences consultancies. The size of the companies ranged from global, mid-sized to spin-out companies, allowing for distinction between their capabilities and infrastructure.

This article was put together by Ling Li Boon and Dr Neil Dixon.

Three core themes make up the project, each a challenge area the biomanufacturing community must address – with support from educational institutions, government and policymakers, and industry – if the sector is to grow and support the UK’s sustainability goals.

The three themes are:

1. Skills, training, and diversity
2. Future feedstocks
3. People, capabilities, and infrastructure

For each theme, a group of sector leaders came together in a series of foresight workshops to identify opportunities and address the challenges. The first workshop (held on 14 Feb 2024) focused on people, capabilities, and infrastructure. The second workshop (held on 21 February 2024) centred on future feedstocks, and the third workshop (held on 28 February 2024) tackled skills, training, and diversity. The outcomes of these workshops can be found by following the links.

To help assess the landscape of biomanufacturing in the north-west, an analysis of the north-west’s capabilities was carried out, alongside building a database of all the biobased companies, chemical companies, users, manufacturers, breweries, producers, and waste processors. Through this analysis and cohort of interdisciplinary stakeholders, potential pathways to sustainability, circularity, and resource management can be found. In addition, connections between each group can be identified and assessed.

Regional scope and definition

To ensure the project has a clear remit and boundaries to operate within, the “region” and “biomanufacturing” are defined as such:

The north-west: the north-west (NW) of England encompasses the counties Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater 91ֱ��, Lancashire and Merseyside. A major distinction from previous analyses of the future biomanufacturing sector is that the required workforce is more closely aligned to plant operators or industrial fermentation engineers, such as those working in traditional bio-based sectors like brewing or waste processing by anaerobic digestion, where there is significant activity in the north-west.

Sustainable biomanufacturing: sustainable biomanufacturing refers to the process of producing biological molecules and materials using living systems, such as microorganisms and/or cell culture, on a commercial scale in such a way that it provides environmental and/or ecological benefit relative to the status quo. The end-use sectors include the chemical and polymer industries, medicines, food and beverage and energy production. For this project the entire ecosystem and linked supply chains are considered to be in scope including:

• feedstock supply and provision from biomass sources such as agriculture and forestry and organic waste from industry processes and municipal sources
• use of naturally occurring and genetically engineered cells and biocatalysts
• down steam processing and formulation
• technoeconomic and life-cycle assessment analysis
• public engagement and acceptance

The project is run by Neil Dixon, Philip Shapira, Rosalind Le Feuvre, Aline Miller, Sabina Hawthornthwaite, Jennifer Carlson, and Ling-Li Boon.

Eligibility

The IBIC ICURe Discover programme is open to individuals and teams of researchers and technicians from within the IBIC partner universities who are addressing any industrial biotechnology¹ related discipline. This includes any research or technical research staff members who receive their salary or stipend from an eligible IBIC university² (including, but not limited to, PhD, technician, PDRA, fellowship, and group leader positions). We actively encourage applications from teams led by early career researchers and/or principal investigators from under-represented groups.

¹ industrial biotechnology (IB) is defined as a means to replace fossil fuels with sustainable ways to biomanufacture everyday products such as medicines, fuels, chemicals, and agri/food

² University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Salford, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University, University of Bolton, Liverpool John Moores University

What's included?

• £2,500 support for testing assumptions and market discovery activities
• Two-day training boot camp with part-time market discovery spanning eight-weeks
• Gather market feedback that indicates the next steps, such as entering ICURe Explore with a team
• Access to our team of experts and we will proactively connect you to our network of entrepreneurs, investors, and funders
• Outline the commercial viability using tools such as the Business Model Canvas (BMC)
• Develop an understanding of existing market offerings and competitive landscape for your sector

Programme details

Key information and dates are as follows:

• Applications open: 01/07/2024
• Applications close: 30/08/2024
• Programme start date: 20/09/2024
• Location: Online
• Delivery partner: NxNW Partnership and The Helix Way
• More information:
• Watch and

These topics will be examined in the “Research to Impact” training course: an informative and interactive event where we will explore the concept of impact in an academic context.

The course

Training will include identifying and protecting intellectual property, learning how to shape and pitch an idea, and collaboratively discussing live projects; how might researchers identify aspects of their work that could impact the wider world, and how might that impact be delivered?

This one-day in person course will cover the following topics:

• Types and definitions of impact
• Intellectual property
• Networking
• Business model mapping
• How to pitch
• Concepts into impact: pitching to an audience

Course details and registering

• Where: , The University of Manchester
• When: Tuesday 9 July 2024
• Who: The course will benefit all early career researchers

This course will be delivered by Dr Kirk Malone from in collaboration with the EPSRC Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst

To register to attend, please email ibic@manchester.ac.uk.

About Britest

Founded in 2001, Britest Limited supports organisations to sustainably grow through better process understanding. Their expert facilitators use proprietary methods, tools and techniques to define, structure and translate knowledge into economic and environmental value. By optimising the processes of their industrial clients, Britest has generated over £1bn in value across multiple sectors, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, materials, food and energy.

Britest are a founding industrial partner of the EPSRC Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst and the EPSRC and BBSRC Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub.

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC) is a £5m EPSRC place-based initiative that brings together north-west England's industrial biotechnology community to accelerate knowledge exchange, skills development, and innovation. IBIC was established in 2024 and will galvanise links between the region's science, research, innovation, and teaching sectors to create real-world impact. IBIC is led by Director Prof Aline Miller (The University of Manchester) and co-created with civic and business partners and the universities of Liverpool, Salford, and 91ֱ�� Metropolitan. It will act as a north-west hub for industrial biotechnology and has a vision to supercharge the growth of careers, business and our regional economy, while delivering a low carbon economy. 

About the Advisory Board

The strategic direction of the IBIC programme will be overseen by the IBIC Advisory Board, which has a rotating membership comprising members of the IBIC Programme Team, Partner Representatives, senior UKRI Project Representative and Community Representatives from key industrial biotechnology ‘sectors’.  Dr Phil Carvil is the Chair of the IBIC Advisory Board.  The IBIC Advisory Board provides assurance that the work of IBIC meets, and remains aligned with, the needs and priorities of industry, local civic bodies and national government and existing R&D organisations. It offers external advice, direction, and challenge to the IBIC project on its level of ambition, scope, scale, operation, success factors, risk mitigation and long-term sustainability. A core function of the IBIC Advisory Board will be to bring together key strategic and delivery partners from the wider biotechnology communities across the UK and beyond, ensuring synergies are maximised. It will also act as a forum to bring new organisations into the NW region’s biotechnology ecosystem.

Advisory Board member selection criteria and responsibilities

There are currently up to six Advisory Board Member roles available. The Advisory Board Member will be a senior experienced advocate with a high-level understanding of the industrial biotechnology sector and the ability to represent the interests of IBIC to senior stakeholders within their respective communities. Members will also champion and raise awareness of IBIC among their stakeholder communities. Members may be drawn from academia, industry, civic society or industry association bodies. Key responsibilities will include:

• Strategic leadership and decisions on IBIC direction
• Portfolio oversight
• Research priority assessment and recommendation
• Foresight for new research calls
• Providing advice on the dissemination of IBIC’s progress and utilising industry, government and academic networks to promote the IBIC and to obtain feedback on it

Role expectations

It is expected that the IBIC Advisory Board role will require a commitment of around four days per annum, with Advisory Board meetings taking place quarterly, in person or online. The costs of travel and subsistence incurred in connection with the role will be reimbursed. IBIC Advisory Board Members may also be expected to communicate in between meetings, as required. These roles will be administered via a letter of terms from The University of Manchester. Typically, appointment will be for two years and subject to an annual review.

How to apply

To apply for an IBIC Advisory Board Member role, please complete the application form, upload a summary CV (max 2 sides of A4) and complete the equality data gathering form. All of the forms are hosted on the Qualtrics platform.

The deadline for completing your application is Wednesday 24 July.

If you have any questions about the IBIC, the role, or the application and selection process, please email ibic@manchester.ac.uk.

Your answers will be treated in the strictest confidence, and all data disclosed will comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. All data is handled in accordance with The University of Manchester Policy and more details can be seen in our privacy policy<.

Eligibility

The IBIC ICURe Discover programme is open to individuals and teams of researchers and technicians from within the IBIC partner universities who are addressing any industrial biotechnology¹ related discipline. This includes any research or technical research staff members who receive their salary or stipend from an eligible IBIC university² (including, but not limited to, PhD, technician, PDRA, fellowship, and group leader positions). We actively encourage applications from teams led by early career researchers and/or principal investigators from under-represented groups.

¹ industrial biotechnology (IB) is defined as a means to replace fossil fuels with sustainable ways to biomanufacture everyday products such as medicines, fuels, chemicals, and agri/food

² University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Salford, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University, University of Bolton, Liverpool John Moores University

What's included?

• £2,500 support for testing assumptions and market discovery activities
• Two-day training boot camp with part-time market discovery spanning eight-weeks
• Gather market feedback that indicates the next steps, such as entering ICURe Explore with a team
• Access to our team of experts and we will proactively connect you to our network of entrepreneurs, investors, and funders
• Outline the commercial viability using tools such as the Business Model Canvas (BMC)
• Develop an understanding of existing market offerings and competitive landscape for your sector

What's next?

• Attend an online Information Sessions on either Thursday 6th June and Wednesday 12th June 2024
• To confirm your attendance, please email ibic@manchester.ac.uk to register your interest in attending an information session, clearly indicating which date you will attend

The programme is expected to commence in September 2024 and applications to the will open soon.

The project leverages a £5 million investment from the ’s Place-Based Impact Acceleration Account to stimulate innovation and commercial growth. The IBIC will give businesses and start-ups a platform to engage with higher education institutions, governmental organisations and researchers in the north-west, and support translating fundamental biotechnology research from the lab to the real world.   

The IBIC launches at a significant time for the UK’s biotechnology market. The UK Government’s on biotechnology and signal increasing interest in the sector, which was valued at £21.8billion in 2023, according to IBISWorld.

Professor Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation at The University of Manchester, said: "Combine academic research with industrial application, and together we can yield transformative outcomes for both our economy and environment.

“With the launch of the IBIC, we are inviting businesses and startups to join us as we take on global challenges like climate change and sustainability. To do that, we need to create a vibrant ecosystem of interconnected disciplines to help scale businesses, bring research to life and ultimately deliver huge economic benefits to the north-west and beyond.”

This invitation extends particularly to SMEs, high-growth biotech companies, and other businesses interested in contributing to and benefiting from a thriving biotechnology industry in the north-west.

Companies interested in participating or learning more about the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst can contact the IBIC team at ibic@manchester.ac.uk for more information and to discuss potential collaboration and partnership opportunities.

IBIC is a collaborative initiative, led by The University of Manchester, aimed at harnessing the region's scientific and research expertise to accelerate knowledge exchange, impact, and innovation, while fostering a more productive, research-intensive economy and promoting sustainability.

Industrial Biotechnology is a multi-disciplinary field that utilises biological resources for everyday product development, including food, fuels, and medicines. It is poised for significant growth with a market potential exceeding £34 billion in the UK alone. The confluence of consumer demand, carbon emission targets, and technological advancements requires new approaches to manufacturing, especially using methods that are divested of petrochemical feedstocks, and industrial biotechnology offers the solutions.

Together with the Universities of Liverpool, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan, Bolton and Salford, The University of Manchester will lead a consortium of academia and industry and create a cohesive ecosystem for IB innovation. The new £5million EPSRC Place-Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) builds on an existing critical mass of IB expertise in the Northwest including the 91ֱ�� Institute of Biotechnology’s pioneering work (recognised by a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2019), major healthcare and biomanufacturing companies like AstraZeneca, Teva, Croda, and Unilever. As well as thriving SME innovation zones, including Daresbury, Liverpool Knowledge Quarter, and Alderley Park, the UK's largest life science campus. 

Professor Miles Padgett, Interim Executive Chair at EPSRC, said:

“I’m pleased to announce our first ten Place Based Impact Acceleration Accounts which will play a unique role in enhancing the capabilities of innovation clusters across the UK. A key priority for UKRI is to strengthen clusters and partnerships in collaboration with civic bodies and businesses, thereby driving regional economic growth.”

Science Minister, George Freeman, said: “Biotechnology delivers for our health, planet, prosperity and beyond and by targeting the North-West through our £41m place-based investment, we can build on the region’s thriving innovation cluster and better integrate the UK’s renowned research activity.

“Our investment will also create hundreds of new jobs, projects and businesses that will in turn drive investment to the region to grow the local and wider UK economy.”

Professor Claire Eyers, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Impact in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool, said: “The University of Liverpool is one of the UK’s leading research-intensive higher education institutions. We pride ourselves in having a long history of working with a variety of organisations and this collaboration allows for the further application of our world-class research to solve real-world challenges.

We very much look forward to working with our regional partners to combine knowledge and expertise and create meaningful and lasting impact for a thriving north-west innovation ecosystem.”

Dr Damian Kelly, Vice President – Innovation & Technology Development at Croda is fully supportive of the initiative: “At Croda we are committed to be climate, land and people positive by 2030. We work to identify functional materials that can be manufactured from widely available, non-fossil materials while also developing low emission processing.  We are looking forward to being an active member of the IBIC ecosystem and engaging with the collaborative mechanisms.”

The launch of IBIC is expected to stimulate significant investments, create numerous job opportunities, foster collaborative projects, and drive economic growth across the region. Building upon the region’s current credentials of a workforce of 25,000 people and a more than £6 billion turnover each year, the cluster is predicted to directly stimulate £2.5M cash and £4M in-kind co-investment, establish 150 collaborative projects, train 200+ students, create up to 100 green jobs, and establish 20+ new commercial ventures which could attract a further £10M in investment. This would see the cluster delivering a minimum 3:1 economic return on public investment over the medium term, with long-term plans to become an independent, business-led cluster of excellence.

For more information about IBIC and its initiatives, contact Professor Miller via email: aline.miller@manchester.ac.uk.