Sustainable bio-based chemicals and materials
Our research into sustainable bio‑based chemicals and materials addresses one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to move beyond petrochemical dependency and build a low‑carbon, circular economy.
Accelerating the shift to sustainable manufacturing
The chemicals and materials sectors face growing pressure to decarbonise, cut waste and transition to renewable feedstocks
At MIB, we combine expertise in biocatalysis, synthetic biology, strain engineering, materials chemistry and process scale‑up to create next‑gen biomanufacturing solutions. By engineering microbes and microbiomes, we develop efficient low‑carbon routes for chemicals, materials and fuels, supported by strengths in strain development and waste valorisation. Our polymer, biomaterials and cell‑based expression capabilities enable innovative, sustainable materials.
Our sustainable bio-based chemicals and materials research
Renewable biosynthetic pathways and industrial strain engineering
We engineer microbial hosts, identify new enzymes and construct efficient biosynthetic pathways to convert renewable feedstocks into low‑impact commodity chemicals. Our work spans synthetic biology, industrial strain engineering and process optimisation, supported by collaborations with major industrial partners.
Using automated design–build–test pipelines, we develop robust strains – across yeast, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and Halomonas – that tolerate harsh conditions, use alternative feedstocks and enable scalable production of fuels, polymers, antibiotics and other valuable products.
Together, these capabilities form a cornerstone of clean‑growth biotechnology and accelerate the UK’s transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Enzymatic routes to essential medicines and fine chemicals
Through enzyme discovery, engineering and integration into multi‑step cascades, we create efficient, selective pathways for producing therapeutic agents, antivirals, nucleotides, and pharmaceutical intermediates. Our work includes enzymatic oligonucleotide synthesis, stereoselective amination, and designing engineered enzymes for global health applications.
These biocatalytic methods reduce costs, improve sustainability and enable reactions that are difficult via traditional chemistry. Strong industrial partnerships with AstraZeneca, Novartis, Prozomix and others ensure rapid translation from lab to manufacturing pipelines.
Development of new bio‑based and bio‑instructive materials
Our expertise spans peptide and polymer chemistry, biomaterials development, supramolecular gels, cryopreservation technologies and tissue‑mimetic scaffolds. These materials are designed to interact purposefully with biological systems, enabling applications such as targeted drug delivery, advanced diagnostics, cell therapies and engineered tissue models.
By combining biomolecular design with nanoscale characterisation and advanced analytical methods, we deliver materials that address industrial and clinical needs, contributing to major advances in regenerative medicine and bio‑enabled manufacturing.
Integrating biocatalysis with chemocatalysis
By combining the selectivity of enzymes with the versatility of chemical catalysts, we unlock new transformations and streamline multi‑step synthesis. Our researchers design cascades where chemical and enzymatic steps operate concomitantly, expanding the accessible chemical space for medicines, materials and specialty chemicals.
This integrated approach enables more sustainable processes, reducing solvents, simplifying purification and improving yield. MIB’s work in this area has produced high‑impact publications and industrial translation, demonstrating its transformative potential for manufacturing.
Continuous, scalable and economically viable bioprocessing
We develop end‑to‑end processes – from enzyme cascades and microbial fermentation to downstream purification – that operate efficiently at scale. Using insights from process engineering, automated bioreactor systems and techno‑economic analysis, we design bioprocesses that lower costs, improve sustainability and meet industrial productivity requirements.
Our partnerships with industrial collaborators and national hubs ensure our processes transition from lab‑scale prototypes to commercial manufacturing, supporting sectors including pharmaceuticals, materials and sustainable chemicals.
Why does bio-based chemicals and materials research matter?
Our work in this area underpins the shift toward cleaner, more resilient and more competitive biomanufacturing by enabling sustainable processes, advancing scientific capability and strengthening the UK’s position in emerging bio‑based industries.
By combining deep technical expertise with practical, scalable innovation, this mission supports the development of new products, accelerates research progress and contributes to national goals around decarbonisation, circularity and long‑term economic growth.
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Want to find out more?
Reach out to our members of staff for more information about their research areas, or if you have a general enquiry, please contact our team.