EFRI-PSBR: Channeling Carbon Flows in Algal Productions Systems from the Molecular to Bioprocessing Scales

EFRI-PSBR：将藻类生产系统中的碳流从分子规模引导至生物加工规模

• 批准号: 1332344
• 负责人: Michael Betenbaugh
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: Johns Hopkins University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-08-01 至 2024-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1332344&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; PSBR; Channeling; Carbon; Flows

ABSTRACTOne of the most pressing grand challenges facing humanity is sustainably supporting a human population predicted to increase to 9 billion people by mid-century. Meeting this challenge will require the development of new and innovative renewable production systems that not only help meet the energy and health-product needs of the populace, but do so in a way that is environmentally and economically sustainable. One approach to address the problems of dwindling reserves of non-renewable fuel resources and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is to capture concentrated carbon dioxide (CO2) emerging from waste treatment facilities, petroleum refineries, coal and other energy sources and convert the CO2 into useful products, including dietary supplements, medicinals, and biofuels. Microalgae species represent a potential renewable source of such products due to their ability to use light to fix CO2 into biomolecules. However, there are currently critical technical bottlenecks including slow growth rates and low synthesis rates of desired products and inefficient access to CO2 and light. These limitations will be addressed in an award made by the National Science Foundation Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation, through a collaboration between engineers and scientists Michael Betenbaugh and Royce Francis at Johns Hopkins University, Maciek Antoniewicz at University of Delaware, Steven Miller at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Bernhard Palsson at University of California, San Diego. They intend to combine genome-scale modeling, metabolic flux analysis, metabolic engineering, and process optimization to improve algae cultivation and capture and convert CO2 and light into useful bioproducts, including carotenoids and hydrocarbons similar to gasoline. Genetic and bioprocess engineering methods will be used to improve pathways involving CO2 capture, carotenoid biosynthesis, and hydrocarbon biosynthesis. Genome-scale models of algal physiology will be connected to bioreactor models in order to optimize commercial-scale production processes and metabolic flux analysis will evaluate the success of these engineering efforts. The investigative team will use life-cycle, economic, and social impact analysis to ensure microalgae bioprocess sustainability.In order to expand the broader impacts to maximize the educational value, investigators will work closely with Baltimore Poly High School, middle schools, and community colleges to attract, prepare, and retain minority and female students and faculty into STEM fields through various new educational programs. One feature of this effort will be the development of a microalgal demonstration facility for local students and the general public to learn how algae remediate CO2 while generating useful products. These programs will help recruit and train future scientists and engineers in key STEM fields.

人类面临的最紧迫性挑战的抽象是可持续地支持预计到本世纪中叶增加到90亿人口的人口。应对这一挑战将需要开发新的和创新的可再生生产系统，这些系统不仅有助于满足民众的能源和健康产品需求，而且以环境和经济上可持续的方式进行。一种解决不可再生燃料资源储量减少和大气中二氧化碳含量上升的方法是捕获从废物处理设施，石油炼油厂，煤炭和其他能源中出现的浓缩二氧化碳（CO2），并转换二氧化碳进入有用的产品，包括饮食补充剂，药用和生物燃料。微藻物种代表了此类产品的潜在可再生能源，因为它们能够使用光将CO2固定到生物分子中。但是，目前存在关键的技术瓶颈，包括增长速度缓慢和所需产品的综合速率较低以及对二氧化碳和光的效率低下。这些限制将通过工程师与科学家之间的合作，由特拉华大学的Maciek Antoniewicz的Johns Hopkins University的Johns Hopkins University的Maciek Antoniewicz，Steven Miller的Maciek Antoniewicz，Steven Miller的Maciek Antoniewicz，在研究和创新方面的新兴领域颁发的奖项中解决这些限制。马里兰州大学巴尔的摩县和加州大学圣地亚哥分校的伯恩哈德·帕尔森（Bernhard Palsson）。他们打算结合基因组规模的建模，代谢通量分析，代谢工程以及工艺优化，以改善藻类培养，并捕获并将CO2和光转化为有用的生物产品，包括类似于汽油的类胡萝卜素和碳氢化合物。遗传和生物处理工程方法将用于改善涉及二氧化碳捕获，类胡萝卜素生物合成和碳氢化合物生物合成的途径。藻类生理学的基因组规模模型将与生物反应器模型相连，以优化商业规模的生产过程，而代谢通量分析将评估这些工程工作的成功。调查团队将使用生命周期，经济和社会影响分析来确保微藻生物普罗维斯的可持续性。为了扩大更广泛的影响以最大程度地提高教育价值，调查人员将与巴尔的摩合力高中，中学和社区学院紧密合作通过各种新的教育计划吸引，准备和留住少数民族和女学生，并将教职员工进入STEM领域。这项工作的一个特征将是为当地学生和公众开发微藻演示设施，以了解藻类在生成有用的产品时如何对CO2进行补救。这些计划将有助于在关键STEM领域招募和培训未来的科学家和工程师。