A new technology developed by VU researchers could make laboratory evolution up to 90 percent cheaper. With an NWO Demonstrator grant, microbiologists Herwig Bachmann and Jeroen Koendjbiharie will have the opportunity to further develop their technology and prepare it for application outside the laboratory. This innovation could contribute to the faster development of microorganisms for industrial fermentation and, thereby, to the transition to a bio-based economy.
Up to 90 percent lower labor costs
Laboratory evolution is a key method for developing microorganisms that perform better in industrial fermentation processes. For example, researchers can develop strains that produce desired substances more efficiently. Demand for such biotechnological applications is growing rapidly.
A major challenge is that laboratory evolution requires a great deal of time and manual labor. As a result, experiments can be expensive, and scaling up this method is difficult.
Bachmann and Koendjbiharie are therefore developing Evovector, a so-called single-use technology for laboratory evolution. The technology makes it possible to conduct experiments more easily and on a larger scale. According to the researchers, this can reduce the labor costs of laboratory evolution experiments by up to 90 percent.
Furthermore, using the technology requires nothing more than a standard incubator, which is already present in many laboratories. This makes the method more accessible to researchers and companies working in industrial biotechnology.
From Research Results to Application
With the NWO Demonstrator grant, the researchers can further develop their technology into a demonstrator at the Minimal Viable Product level. They will also investigate how Evovector can best be applied and brought to market.
The ultimate goal is to accelerate the development of new, efficient microorganisms for industrial fermentation. This can contribute to the growth of biotechnological production and to the transition to an economy that makes greater use of biological raw materials and processes.
Bachmann: “With Evovector, we want to make laboratory evolution faster, cheaper, and easier to scale. The Demonstrator funding helps us take the technology from the laboratory further toward practical application.”
NWO Supports Innovation with Societal Impact
The project is receiving funding from the Demonstrator program of NWO’s Applied and Technical Sciences (TTW) domain. In total, the selected Demonstrator projects will receive 2.3 million euros.
Through this program, NWO supports researchers in developing scientific findings into applications for the market and society. As part of this, researchers work on a demonstrator and on activities that increase the likelihood of successful application.
The funding is part of the NWO Innovation Accelerator, which supports researchers in translating new knowledge into innovations that can contribute to addressing societal challenges and boosting the Netherlands’ economic potential.
About Evovector
Evovector: A new technology for scaling up laboratory evolution for cheaper and faster strain development is being developed by VU microbiologists Herwig Bachmann and Jeroen Koendjbiharie. With this technology, they aim to make the development of microorganisms for industrial fermentation cheaper and faster, thereby contributing to the transition to a bio-based economy.