A dedicated infrastructure platform for cultivation of non-conventional microbes in controlled bioprocess conditions

Microbial industrial biotechnology is rapidly advancing due to the increasing availability of comprehensive system-level biological knowledge. This is driven by the potential of industrial microbial biotechnology to address huge societal and industrial challenges, such as the transition from a petrochemical-based economy to a biobased and circular economy. Microbes serve as efficient cell factories for production of diverse biobased and biodegradable chemicals and materials. Despite promising prospects, the full potential has not been reached. Overcoming this bottleneck will require leveraging the unique capabilities of non-conventional microbes such as extremophiles, thriving in extreme temperature or pH conditions, and filamentous fungi, capable of producing novel biomaterials, mycelium-based materials, under specific environmental conditions. To transition from the discovery phase of novel microbes and conceptualization of potential bioprocesses to their initial exploration under controlled conditions, specialized bioprocessing equipment is essential. Our proposal aims to develop an infrastructure platform dedicated to lab-scale cultivation of nonconventional microbes, enabling fundamental research on novel natural or engineered microbial strains and their products, such as bioplastics and mycelium-based materials. Moreover, this platform will facilitate strategic basic research for the development of innovative bioprocesses with non-conventional microbial hosts.