The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustanability, DTU Presentation of the center at Plastdagen 5 May 2011 by Bo Skjold Larsen, COO.
Center for Biosustainability BIOSUSTAINABILITY: through metabolic and cell engineering revolutionizing chemical production from being an oil-based industry to a bio-based industry. A research unit aimed at revolutionizing biological routes to chemical production through intelligent design of cell factories 2
Transition to Bio-refinery
Prediction of market shares for Bio-based chemicals
Objectives To facilitate the emergence of the next generation of cell factories through the application of cutting edge technologies such as metagenomic systems biology, and genome-scale network reconstruction Spectrum of chemistry that can be produced biologically Shorten the time of production strain development Innovation through development of new technologies and transfer of knowledge to industry for the benefit of society. Development of talents the future driving force of bio-based sustainability 5
Methodology Selection of target compound Product made by new production strain Tool box: Fermentation, testing and evaluation Pathway exploration Tool box: Metagenomics, Proteomics, Pathfinder HTP screening, Assays Cloning and screening Pathway design Selection of host strain Tool box: Platform strains Enzyme & Gene collection 6
Center organization Supervisory Board Scientific Advisory Board Center Director Center Administration & staff unit Bacterial Cell Factories Fungal Cell Factories Plant Pathway Discovery Metageno mic Systems Biology Network Reconstruc tion & in silico Biology Highthroughput Molecular Bioscience 7
Center organization National: Core Flow, Bacterial Celle factories, Fungal Cell Factories, Metagenomics Systems Biology, Center Management and Administration, Technical University of Denmark (Scion DTU) Plant Pathway Discovery, Copenhagen University (KU-Life) International satellites: High-throughput Molecular Bioscience at Kungliga Tekniska Högskola (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden Fungal Metabolic Engineering, Chalmers, Sweden Network Reconstruction and in silico Biology, University of California San Diego (UCSD), USA 8
One location
Core activities Technology development Biosensors for screening and strain design Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE/MAGE technology) Platform strains Metabolic engineering unit/metabolic designs Pathway design and construction facility Infrastructure Omics and computational platforms High throughput screening facility
Scientific Directors Mathias Uhlen Jens Nielsen Bernhard Palsson Birger Lindberg Møller Søren Molin Søren Brunak
Funding Generous grant of 700 MDKK from Novo Nordisk Foundation. To be spend over 10 years Additional funding from: Governmetal research programmes, EU-programmes, other international sources Collaboration agreements with industry Foundations Co-funding from DTU (buildings, support functions, phd scolarships etc.) An expected total turnover of 180 MDKK/year after 5 years of operation NNF Funds 1/3 Programme funds 1/3 Collaboration with industry 1/3 12
Core activities located at SCION DTU, Hørsholm NNF Center for Biosustainability, Fremtidsvej 3
Innovation A center conducting applied and basic research where innovation and tech transfer are key activities in terms of: Collaboration with Danish and international companies Patents Start-up of new biotech-based companies Will operate with a strategic business development office Located in a big Biotech Cluster in the Øresund region (Medicon Valley) 14
The Cluster A high concentration of science - 12 universities, 5 of which supply life science related educations A high concentration of business - Approx. 80 (red) biotech companies, 20 pharma companies, 100 medtech companies A high concentration of start-up facilities - 7 science parks, 6 incubators, approx. 80 contract research organisations and contract manufacturing organisations Source: Medicon Valley Statistics
Growth and a high degree of entrepreneurship
Wrap up Research and demonstration: Platform strain construction: Selection of 2-3 genetically modifiable host cells as model organisms Improving production organisms (yield, stability, requirements, scalable) Selection of a limited number of chemical target compounds suitable for bioproduction and of high relevance (commercial potential, sustainability, common use) Screenable target compounds with relatively simple pathways Shorten development time of new production strain Collaboration on projects together with leading international research groups and relevant industry Tech transfer and start-up of new companies 19