Biological solutions | Manchester Institute of Biotechnology

Biotechnology for climate and environmental resilience

As global pressures on food, resources and planetary health rise, biotechnology provides powerful tools for remediation, carbon capture, pollution reduction and sustainable resource use.

We combine microbiology, enzyme engineering, environmental biotechnology and systems biology to tackle these challenges head‑on. Our work in microbial carbon cycling, microbiome engineering, engineered co‑cultures and waste valorisation forms the core of this theme, while expertise in enzyme mechanisms drives advances in plastic degradation, pollutant remediation and CO₂‑fixing biocatalysts. We work closely with partners across geoscience, environmental biotechnology, chemical engineering and the Henry Royce and Pankhurst Institutes to drive environmental innovation.

Our bological solutions for environmental protection research

Why does environmental solutions research matter?

Our research provides practical pathways to reduce emissions, recover value from waste streams and support more sustainable use of resources, while also opening new opportunities for collaboration across disciplines including microbiology, enzymology, environmental science and chemical engineering. By generating the evidence and innovation needed to strengthen climate resilience, advance decarbonisation efforts and promote sustainable practices, this work supports progress across scientific, industrial and societal goals.

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New research highlights importance of ingredient origins in aquaculture feed sustainability

The research, published in Nature Food, focuses on Atlantic salmon farming and compares two feed scenarios: one dominated by fishmeal and fish oil, and another primarily composed of plant-based ingredients. While the shift from marine to terrestrial feed sources has been a key strategy in reducing reliance on wild-caught fish, the study reveals that this transition brings its own set of environmental challenges.To understand the myriad environmental pressures that arise from aquaculture feed, the team used a spatial modelling approach – assessing where the feed came from geographically as well as what type of feed was used – to calculate the cumulative environmental pressures. Their model took into account: greenhouse gas emissions, habitat disturbance, nutrient pollution and freshwater consumption, as well as geopolitical and economic factors which were combined to create a cumulative pressure index (CPI), a measure of impact, allowing for comparison across different feed compositions and sourcing locations.While it is currently, generally assumed that plant-based fish feed is more sustainable than fish-derived feeds, the findings show that this may not always be the case; the environmental footprint of a feed varies significantly depending on where its ingredients are produced and how they are processed. Additionally, the environmental impact of a feed can vary within its own type where some fish-derived feeds are better than others, the same is also true of plant-based feeds.For example, soybean production in Brazil was found to generate greenhouse gas emissions more than ten times higher than in the United States, largely due to land use change. Similarly, fishmeal sourced from the Southeast Pacific required significantly more raw fish biomass than that from the Western-central Atlantic, due to differences in species composition and oil yield. Additionally, the authors noted that geopolitical and economic factors influence how raw materials are chosen, as in the case of Brazilian soybeans; from 2002 to 2010 China was looking to increase foreign investment and Brazil was looking to develop their export markets. This set of mutually beneficial conditions led to an agreement between the two countries that saw Brazilian soybeans imported for Chinese pig-feed despite the negative environmental impact.The modelling method employed by the researchers also pointed to the potential trade-offs involved in sourcing decisions. For example, avoiding fishmeal from regions with high carbon emissions may inadvertently increase habitat disturbance if alternative sources rely on species with lower yields but higher ecological impact. Similarly, while seafood processing waste is increasingly used in feed production, its environmental benefits depend on the species and region from which it is sourced.The authors argue that sustainability assessments should move beyond a narrow focus on specific ingredients or singular environmental impacts (such as solely focusing on carbon dioxide production) and instead consider the full feed formulation and its sourcing context. This includes recognising the variability in production practices at subnational levels and supporting best-in-class producers within regions.The study’s methodology provides a foundation for future research into spatially aware modelling for environmental impacts, such as biodiversity loss and water scarcity. By integrating data on species distribution and sensitivity to environmental pressures, researchers can better understand the localised effects of feed production and inform more robust sourcing strategies.In time, the model could be further developed to be used by businesses and policymakers to make more informed decisions about the aquaculture industry, as well as being adapted for used in other industries such as the livestock sector.The researchers acknowledge that implementing responsible sourcing practices is not without challenges, however. They caution against over-reliance on a small number of highly efficient producers, instead encouraging policymakers and industry to support producers who are working to improve their practices. This would diversify the supply chain protecting it from vulnerabilities due to disruptions from extreme weather events or geopolitical tensions, for example.Ultimately, the research calls for a more nuanced approach to feed sustainability – one that considers not only what ingredients are used, but where and how they are produced. This approach can help aquaculture and livestock industries design sourcing strategies that support environmental goals while maintaining resilience and supply chain integrity.The full dataset and code used in the analysis are publicly available via the Sustainable Aquafeeds Project GitHub repository, enabling further exploration and application of the findings.Meet the researcherDuncan Cameron, Professor and Chair in Environmental Sustainability, is an environmental microbiologist and biological chemist and his research seeks to understand how soil microbes enhance plant nutrition and health in the context of sustainable agriculture and global food security.Email Professor Cameron >>View academic profile >>

The University of Manchester joins two new national research hubs to drive sustainable manufacturing

As the UK accelerates toward net-zero and a circular economy, the Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP) and Carbon-Loop Sustainable Biomanufacturing (C-Loop) hubs bring together world-leading academic and industry partners to tackle major sustainability challenges through innovation in engineering plastics and biomanufacturing.A circular future for engineering plastics Manchester researchers will work alongside the University of Warwick and University College London as part of the new EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP). The £13.6 million initiative will assess and improve the sustainability of greener materials and remanufacturing processes through reusing, repairing, and recycling high performance and durable plastics used in vehicles, electronics, and construction.The Manchester team will be led by Professor Michael Shaver through the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub and Sustainable Futures platform. The EPSRC SEP Hub will engage over 60 industry partners across supply chains including Siemens, Polestar, Biffa and Vita to accelerate the real-world adoption of sustainable plastic solutions.Microbes turning waste into wealth In parallel, Manchester will join to the Carbon-Loop Sustainable Biomanufacturing Hub (C-Loop), a £14 million initiative led by the University of Edinburgh, alongside other spokes at Nottingham, University College London and Imperial College London, with more than 40 industry collaborator partnerships. Drawing on expertise at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), researchers will explore how engineered microbial systems can convert carbon-rich industrial waste into high-value products such as cosmetics, material precursors and solvents.Professor Neil Dixon will lead the Manchester team, leveraging MIB’s global leadership in engineering biology platforms and sustainable biomanufacturing. As part of the C-Loop initiative, the UK’s first BioFactory will be established to analyse waste streams and scale up new, circular biomanufacturing processes.Shaping a sustainable manufacturing futureThese hubs are two of four new national centres funded through EPSRC’s Manufacturing Research Hubs for a Sustainable Future programme, designed to catalyse the UK’s transition to cleaner, more resilient manufacturing.Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, commented“These hubs will play a vital role in reshaping manufacturing to help the UK achieve green growth. By combining deep research expertise with real-world partnerships, they will develop the technologies, tools and systems we need for clean, competitive and resilient industries.”The University of Manchester’s dual role across both hubs highlights its cross-disciplinary leadership in sustainability and its commitment to pioneering innovations that support green growth, circular economy practices, and industrial transformation across the UK.

Future-proofing agriculture: scientists look to biotechnology to improve crop resilience and nutritional value

Funded by a £8.5M grant from the UK Government’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), the researchers will leverage advances in engineering biology to establish synthetic plant chromosome (synPAC) technologies. These technologies promise to provide powerful new ways of introducing novel traits to plants —such as producing essential nutrients or increased pest resistance—while maintaining the plant’s existing characteristics.Learning from nature: improving crops for people and the planetModern agriculture faces significant challenges, from climate change to soil degradation and food security concerns. However, traditional plant breeding and selection can take decades to introduce beneficial traits, relying on random genetic mixing over multiple generations.This project will develop synPACs, a novel system for rapidly designing and delivering beneficial traits to plants. Building on natural processes, synPACs enable researchers to rapidly introduce multi-gene traits in a far more precise, controllable, and predictable fashion — offering an innovative alternative to conventional breeding methods.To achieve this, scientists at The University of Manchester will develop unique new technologies that will allow crop scientists to design and build chromosomes carrying desired traits. synPACs will use Saccharomyces cerevisiae (common baker’s yeast) as a DNA assembly line to efficiently assemble large segments of plant DNA into synthetic chromosomes, prior to direct transfer to crop plants using highly efficient methods developed at the John Innes Centre, and characterised at the Earlham Institute.The Earlham Institute will lead on three areas of the project; potato tissue atlas and regulatory element discovery, assembly and testing of a potato regulatory element library through the Earlham Biofoundry, and engineering synPAC components and synPAC maintenance.The first phase of the project will focus on potatoes, a globally important crop, with the goal of developing technology pipelines to fast-track plant engineering. Initial target traits will include enhanced nutritional content and resilience against environmental stressors, as well as improving agricultural sustainability by reducing reliance on chemical inputs while improving crop yields. By enabling plants to efficiently produce valuable compounds, synPACs could also support the development of new, plant-based sources of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, benefiting both human health and the environment.Ensuring stability, safety and ethicsThe synPAC initiative is committed to working transparently with industry partners, regulators, and the public to ensure responsible development and application of this technology. The research team is focused on delivering benefits for both farmers and consumers, ensuring that crops developed through this platform align with the highest standards of safety, sustainability, and societal acceptance. The synPAC team will work closely with social science teams also funded by ARIA to explore these critical issues.With a clear roadmap for Phase Two, the synPAC team aims to expand this technology to other staple crops, ultimately ushering in a new age of crops optimised for climate resilience, nutrition, and sustainability.

New research to reveal hidden microbial impact on CO2 storage

A new research project led by scientists at The University of Manchester in collaboration with global energy company Equinor ASA will unlock crucial insights into how microbes in deep underground storage sites could impact the success of carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Breakthrough research unlocks potential for renewable plastics from carbon dioxide

Their work, published in Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, could accelerate the development of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived products like plastics, helping pave the way for a carbon-neutral circular bioeconomy.The research, led by Dr Matthew Faulkner, working alongside Dr Fraser Andrews, and Professor Nigel Scrutton, focused on improving the production of citramalate, a compound that serves as a precursor for renewable plastics such as Perspex or Plexiglas. Using an innovative approach called “design of experiment,” the team achieved a remarkable 23-fold increase in citramalate production by optimising key process parameters.Why Cyanobacteria?Cyanobacteria are microscopic organisms capable of photosynthesis, converting sunlight and CO2 into organic compounds. They are a promising candidate for industrial applications because they can transform CO2—a major greenhouse gas—into valuable products without relying on traditional agricultural resources like sugar or corn. However, until now, the slow growth and limited efficiency of these organisms have posed challenges for large-scale industrial use.“Our research addresses one of the key bottlenecks in using cyanobacteria for sustainable manufacturing,” explains Matthew. “By optimising how these organisms convert carbon into useful products, we’ve taken an important step toward making this technology commercially viable.”The Science Behind the BreakthroughThe team’s research centred on Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a well-studied strain of cyanobacteria. Citramalate, the focus of their study, is produced in a single enzymatic step using two key metabolites: pyruvate and acetyl-CoA. By fine-tuning process parameters such as light intensity, CO2 concentration, and nutrient availability, the researchers were able to significantly boost citramalate production.Initial experiments yielded only small amounts of citramalate, but the design of experiment approach allowed the team to systematically explore the interplay between multiple factors. As a result, they increased citramalate production to 6.35 grams per litre (g/L) in 2-litre photobioreactors, with a productivity rate of 1.59 g/L/day.While productivity slightly decreased when scaling up to 5-litre reactors due to light delivery challenges, the study demonstrates that such adjustments are manageable in biotechnology scale-up processes.A Circular Bioeconomy VisionThe implications of this research extend beyond plastics. Pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, the key metabolites involved in citramalate production, are also precursors to many other biotechnologically significant compounds. The optimisation techniques demonstrated in this study could therefore be applied to produce a variety of materials, from biofuels to pharmaceuticals.By enhancing the efficiency of carbon capture and utilisation, the research contributes to global efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on non-renewable resources.“This work underscores the importance of a circular bioeconomy,” adds Matthew. “By turning CO2 into something valuable, we’re not just reducing emissions—we’re creating a sustainable cycle where carbon becomes the building block for the products we use every day.”What’s Next?The team plans to further refine their methods and explore ways to scale up production while maintaining efficiency. They are also investigating how their approach can be adapted to optimise other metabolic pathways in cyanobacteria, with the aim of expanding the range of bio-based products that can be sustainably manufactured.This research is the latest development from the Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH) and was completed in collaboration with the FlexBio scale-up facility at Heriot-Watt University.

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Biological solutions for environmental protection

Biotechnology for climate and environmental resilience

Our bological solutions for environmental protection research

Capturing and transforming CO2

Improving agriculture and low-emission food production systems

Valorising waste feedstocks

Enzymatically deconstructing plastics

Bioremediation of environmental contaminants