19th International Symposium on Biopolymers

 – “Towards Safe and Sustainable Biopolymers for our Future” was organised by the Universiti Sains Malaysia at Setia SPICE Convention Centre, Penang Island, Malaysia from 20-23 October 2024. As part of the conference, 

Synthetic biology of Halomonas: Toward full scale PHA industrial production”

Development of high-performance biodegradable biomass plastics and their microbial decomposition on the deep-sea floors”

Directed assembly toward advanced bio-based materials”

Design and production of functional biohybrid materials based on bacterial polymers”

, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain

 poster presentations, from the research topics of:

Engineering advances in biopolymer synthesis

Biosynthesis and characterisation of novel biopolymers

Exploring building blocks for bio-based polymers

Sustainable feedstocks for biopolymer production

Challenges in the industrial production of biopolymers

Exploration of other biopolymers and bio-based polymers

Applications of novel biopolymers in various industries

Two keynote lectures and two posters presented results from the EcoPlastiC project. This was also an excellent networking opportunity for two of the EcoPlastiC partners - IMGGE and NOVA:

Within Session 11 “APPLICATION OF BIOPOLYMERS I” there was 1 keynote lecture:

Tuning properties of microbial biopolymers towards biomedical applications

” by Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic, Marijana Ponjavic and Vuk Filipovic Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering (IMGGE), Serbia.

Photos of the presenting author Dr Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic during the lecture “Tuning properties of microbial biopolymers towards biomedical applications”.

Within Session 12 “ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION OF BIOPOLYMERS II”, there was 1 keynote lecture:

Breaking the plastic wave: Innovating with biopolymer production” 

by Maria Reis, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Portugal.

Photo of the presenting author Maria Reis during the lecture “Breaking the plastic wave: Innovating with biopolymer production”.

Poster sessions topics included: Synthetic biology and genetic engineering, Biosynthesis and characterization of biopolymers, Applications of biopolymers in various industries, Sustainable feedstock and green technology for biopolymer production, Biodegradation and environmental impact of biopolymers.


Within Poster Session 2 “BIOSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOPOLYMERS”, there was 1 poster presentation:

 “Development and characterization of novel biobased polyurethane films reinforced with bacterial biomass” by Brana Pantelic (IMGGE), Chebrolu Venkateswara Rao (IMGGE), Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic (IMGGE), Tatjana Ilic-Tomic (IMGGE), Dusan Milivojevic (IMGGE), Maciej Guzik (Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences), Marijana Ponjavic (IMGGE).

Photo of Marija Nenadovic, Dusan Milivojevic, the 

 poster presenting author Brana Pantelic and Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic from IMGGE with the poster “Development and characterization of novel biobased polyurethane films reinforced with bacterial biomass”.

Within Poster Session 5 “BIODEGRADATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BIOPOLYMERS”, there was 1 poster presentation:

 “PHB and PHB-PHO composites with immobilized 

 DG19 spores for enhanced polymer biodegradation” by Marija Nenadovic (IMGGE), Marijana Ponjavic (IMGGE), Brana Pantelic (IMGGE), Marija Mojicevic (TUS), Jasmina Nikodinovic Runic (IMGGE)

 poster presenting author Marija Nenadovic, Dusan Milivojevic and co-author Brana Pantelic IMGGE with the poster “PHB and PHB-PHO composites with immobilized Streptomyces DG19 spores for enhanced polymer biodegradation”.

14th European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences (ESBES)

 was organized at the headquarters of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR Byen) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The ESBES Symposium had 245 registered participants and it was organized jointly with the Fermentation Based Manufacturing Symposium, adding 70 additional participants.

Phenotypical heterogeneity in bioprocesses: better think positive

!?”by Prof. Anna Heins (Hamburg University of Technology) and Prof. Alexander Grünberger (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Intensification of biocatalytic processes towards industrial volumetric productivities

” by Prof. Selin Kara (Leibniz Universität Hannover).

Added value from reconstructed biomass fractions: Tackling lignin particle aggregation through hemicellulose- and laccase-assisted bioprocess

” by Prof. Kirsi S. Mikkonen (University of Helsinki).

The central topic of the congress was ‘Biochemical engineering for the sustainable processes of the future’. There were 

Novel upstream and downstream process concepts

Industrial water and wastewater technology

Bioprocesses for food engineering/precision fermentation

Education/New (bio)materials for process engineering

Within the Session “Novel upstream and downstream process concepts”, Dr. Patrícia Concórdio-Reis (NOVA) presented results from the EcoPlastiC project in an oral presentation:

“Upcycling of PET-based plastic waste into biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) using mixed microbial cultures” authored by Patricia Concordio-Reis (NOVA), Ana Teresa Rebocho (NOVA), Maria Nicolau Batista (NOVA), Margaret Brennan-Fournet (TUS), Cuneyt Erdinc Tas (TUS), Necdet Ozcelik (TUS), Cristiana A. V. Torres (NOVA), Maria A. M. Reis (NOVA) and Filomena Freitas (NOVA).

Dr. Patrícia Concórdio-Reis during her oral presentation “Upcycling of PET-based plastic waste into biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) using mixed microbial cultures”.

14th European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences

 EcoPlastiC Steering Meeting (SM) took place on 28 July 2023 where partners presented the latest updates within their respective Work Package and communicated plans for the future.

The work performed at TUS on metalized PET was presented and fundamental characterisation of TPA (terephthalic acid) from metallized PET was carried out and outlined, including DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), IR (infrared) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry).

AVE is testing aerobic and anaerobic routes to test microorganisms capable of degrading depolymerized plastic mixtures and monomers and bioconversion with recovery potential. The results on the validation on the growth of 

 in a continuous fermentation were shared, and it was reported that the obtained biomass concentration has increased and is rich in proteins.

At IMGGE, greener ways for PHA extraction (enzymes, deep eutectic solvents or ionic liquids) are being explored. Also, they are assessing the possibility to exchange the commonly used fillers used for the synthesis of polyurethanes with biomass, which afforded biopolyurethanes that will be fully characterized in terms of thermal, morphological and surface properties.

IMGGE reported that the website continues to show excellent statistics with increasing number of unique visitors, total visits and page views. The numbers describing the social media activity are also increasing, and the EcoPlastiC Newsletter #1 was successfully sent out to 191 subscribers.

Representatives from all partner institutions attended the SM:

 (Coordinator and Team Leader), Marija Mojicevic, Laura Rodriguez, Michelle Cooney, Bor Shin Chee, Necdet Ozcelik, Cuneyt Erdinct Tas, Buket Alkan Tas, Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia, Jeovan Araujo, Diana Garza Herrera, Muhammad Azeem

 (Team Leader), Jelena Lazic, Marijana Ponjavic, Venkateswara Rao Chebrolu, Vuk Filipovic

Regular EcoPlastiC SMs are organised each 2 months, to make sure this project moves forward according to plans.

Third EcoPlastiC Steering Meeting