SUPERVISOR: Diethard MATTANOVICH

PROJECT ASSIGNED TO: Camilla SCIPIONE

Autotrophy and mixotrophy in industrial strains bear the potential to contribute to the mitigation of climate change, and they are therefore of a great interest towards a more sustainable production of biochemicals.

Methanol is a promising alternative carbon source for industrial biotechnology, as it can be produced from renewable resources and industrial side streams without competing with food supplies. This makes it an attractive option for developing more sustainable and circular bioprocesses. However, in the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii, methanol metabolism relies on a native alcohol oxidase (AOX) pathway that is associated with high oxygen demand, heat generation, and oxidative stress. All factors that can limit industrial scalability.

This PhD project focuses on improving methanol utilization in K. phaffii through metabolic engineering and bioprocess optimization. In particular, it investigates an alternative to the native alcohol oxidase pathway, aiming to improve process robustness and reduce oxygen/energy requirements. In parallel, cultivation conditions will be analyzed and optimized, with an emphasis on scalability and sustainability.

Overall, the project contributes to the development of greener C1-based biotechnological production systems.

The project is part of the GreenChem TechHub doctoral programme, which promotes interdisciplinary research in green chemistry, biotechnology, and sustainable industrial processes.