INTERDISCIPLINARY SCHOLARSHIPS 2014/15 ACADEMIC PROPOSAL FORM
Deadline for applications 5pm on 1st Nov 2013
Please send your completed form to p.eves@shef.ac.uk
NETWORK TITLE: Bio-Hybrid System
Lead person:
Overview of network:
Added value of this network – in what way does this provide opportunities for collaboration
between disciplines which do not already exist?
Describe how this network will:
(a) provide opportunities which will lead to longer term and more extensive collaboration
(b) enable funding bids in the area (please specify funders and schemes identified as targets)
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PROJECT 1
(max 2 pages)
2. Topic: Synthetic ecology: Engineering natural systems
Principal Supervisor:
Name: Jags Pandhal
Department: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Tel:
24914
Email: j.pandhal@sheffield.ac.uk
Co-supervisor:
Name: Andrew Beckerman
Department: Animal
and Plant Sciences
Tel:
20026
Email:
a.beckerman@sheffield.ac.uk
Description of proposed project:
Background Facing some of the World’s most challenging problems requires research spanning unusual
subject boundaries. Engineering is very much a quantitative and design-led field including concepts of
standardisation and repeat measurements. We can therefore design predictable and robust systems in
fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering. Biological engineering has been predicted to be the
next big engineering subject of the century as rapid breakthroughs in analytical technology have enabled
mechanistic insight into complex life science systems. Ecology is concerned with understanding ecosystems
from a holistic viewpoint and the complex interactions within the system. If these rules can be translated into
designing specific systems under the heading of synthetic ecology, we may be able to develop novel ways
of breaking down manmade pollutants, making renewable energy and novel medicines. Synthetic ecology
can be viewed as an enabler for ecological engineering much in the same way as synthetic chemistry was
seen as an enabler for chemical engineering.
Specific agenda In this project, the student will be trained by engineers and ecologists, and thereby gain the
specific niche expertise which can be broadly applied to both fields. More specifically the student will be
creating synthetic ecosystems to cultivate algae for biofuel production. Using a variety of different
combinations of freshwater organisms spanning several trophic levels, the student will measure productivity
and growth in response to different environmental conditions and harvesting regimes. One aspect will be to
grow algae as a continuously reproducing population that is harvested periodically to maintain high yields,
making the process more similar to managed wild fish populations than terrestrial crop plants. This novel
approach will include applying the engineering paradigm of measure, model, manipulate and manufacture to
ecosystems in the laboratory. Pandhal (CBE) will provide expertise in algae growth and lipid production, for
example, cell cytometry techniques and quantitative and qualitative lipid analysis using fluorescence assays
and GS/MS. Beckerman (APS) will provide proficiency in ecological theory and practice as well as food web
structures. The impact of the project will be seen in both increasing our understanding of the interaction
mechanisms of aquatic organisms as well as the potential of making algal biofuel production more
economically viable.
Bio-hybrid fit Natural ecosystems have defined laws that can provide insight into the way we live as human
beings and the way we perceive the environment around us. For example, in a natural ecosystem there is
no ‘waste’. The output from a specific natural process will be the input for another, for example, in the water
cycle or global biogeochemical cycles. In human society, waste is considered the end-point of a linear
process, and only now that resources are becoming limited are we researching methods to recover
resources from this waste. This project is aimed at learning lessons from ecology to engineer systems that
can produce a renewable fuel. Therefore human designed (synthetic) ecosystems will be created and can
therefore be considered a bio-hybrid system. A key aim of the studentship is to engage with the Biohybrid
network. This will involve internal meetings, dissemination of research findings and engagement with other
disciplines in the network. One major challenge of this position includes developing an inter-disciplinary skillset and the ability to convey complex science and engineering information to expert and layman audiences.
Student requirements Interest in ecology, environmental engineering, algae, renewable fuels, biofuels.
Lay summary (max 500 words): In synthetic biology, the goal is to apply engineering principles to biology
and synthesise specific, complex systems in a rational and systematic manner. The majority of this research
has been conducted at the molecular level, where the individual components for engineering are based on
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DNA, genes and gene modules. Synthetic ecology is an emerging branch of this field where the building
blocks are cells or organisms in an ecosystem. Engineering a community rather than single cells has many
distinct advantages including undertaking more complex tasks and with higher efficiency. This goal requires
expertise in engineering and ecology. This could also be considered as knowledge in designing man-made
synthetic systems and the understanding the laws of natural ecosystems, hence a bio-hybrid system.
The human population is rapidly growing and expected to top 9.2 billion by mid-century. This presents many
new challenges including dealing with manmade pollution, scarcity of natural resources and higher demand
for energy and medicines. Synthetic biology offers huge potential to address these challenges using nonpolluting, energy efficient methods. One specific example is the production of renewable fuels and
particularly those that fit with our present infrastructure. Recently, bio-diesel production through
photosynthetic algae has shown great promise. Algae produce lipids in their cells as structural or energy
storage molecules. To do this they require sunlight, nutrients and carbon dioxide. Lipids can be
subsequently converted to fuels through a process termed transesterification. However, for the entire
process to be economically competitive with traditional fossil fuel extraction, many efficiency improvements
are needed from growing the organism through to oil extraction. In order to grow the vast quantities needed
to power our vehicles, the only economic method that seems likely to be commercialised globally is the use
of open raceway ponds. Using natural sunlight and gentle agitation, algae cultures can thrive in raceway
ponds for a set period, but overall efficiency is dependent on environmental conditions, nutrients, species,
harvesting methods and contamination. Lessons from ecology, for example, the productivity-diversity
relationship (i.e. the more diversity of species in an ecosystem the higher the overall productivity) and theory
of ecological succession (i.e. if there is an available niche in an environment with sufficient resources,
species will arrive and colonise this space) provide essential clues as to how to cultivate algae efficiently
and engineering alone will not provide a silver bullet to these problems.
The student will create synthetic communities and take measurements on how productive these are in terms
of growth and how much lipid (which are converted to fuel) is produced. Using algae, cyanobacteria and
freshwater bacteria cultures at the University of Sheffield, different combinations will be cultivated under
varying environmental conditions. Engagement with the algal bioenergy and ecology community will be a
key component of the project spanning academic and industrial expertise. The student will be based within
the World class Department of Animal and Plant Sciences in the science faculty and the rapidly growing
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the engineering faculty.
SECTION 2: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Outline the supervisory track record of the project team. Proposals from new supervisors are welcomed,
but must demonstrate that there is suitable experience within the team.
Pandhal is the Research Fellow for the NERC/TSB sponsored Algal Bioenergy- Special Interest Group (ABSIG) and has worked at the interface of engineering and life sciences for almost 10 years. He has
developed contacts in industry and academia and participated in the generation of the UK Roadmap for
Algal Biotechnology, opening up many avenues to secure further funding for this area of research. At
present, Pandhal has one PhD student (David Russo) as main supervisor who is researching
metaproteomic approaches in the environment (completion 2015). He co-supervises two other PhD
students in the areas of biopharmaceuticals production in bacteria (Ben Strutton) and biofuel production
from Jatropha plants (Anggun Siswanto). Pandhal has supervised over 15 MSc students in the last 4 years
in biological engineering.
Andrew Beckerman has 5 completed PhD students (present position in brackets)- Edd Hammill (Assistant
Professor, Australia), Sam Williams (Director, NGO), Rowan Martin (NGO Scientist), Aaron Thierry (PostDoc, Edinburgh), Julia Reger (Freelance Science). Beckerman has three pending students (completion date
in brackets)- Kylie Yarlett (2013), Mohammad Ali (2014), Isabelle Dean (2016).
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PROJECT 2
(max 2 pages)
Topic:
Principal Supervisor:
Name:
Department:
Tel:
Email:
Co-supervisor:
Name:
Department:
Tel:
Email:
Description of proposed project:
Lay summary (max 500 words):
SECTION 2: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Outline the supervisory track record of the project team. Proposals from new supervisors are
welcomed, but must demonstrate that there is suitable experience within the team.
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PROJECT 3
(max 2 pages)
Topic:
Principal Supervisor:
Name:
Department:
Tel:
Email:
Co-supervisor:
Name:
Department:
Tel:
Email:
Description of proposed project:
Lay summary (max 500 words):
SECTION 2: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Outline the supervisory track record of the project team. Proposals from new supervisors are
welcomed, but must demonstrate that there is suitable experience within the team.
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