UQ has entered into a new agreement with an American alternative energy company to turn Queensland sugar cane into jet biofuel.
Researchers from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN) will work with US firm Amyris Biotechnologies Inc to explore potential business opportunities for the new fuel.
AIBN Director Professor Peter Gray said the importance of the agreement was reinforced when Queensland Premier Anna Bligh took time to visit the company and officially witness the agreement on her recent visit to the US.
“This agreement positions the AIBN at the forefront of research into sustainable fuels of the future,” Professor Gray said.
“Sustainable aviation fuel is a global issue with enormous opportunity and the AIBN is please to make this strategic alliance.
Professor Gray said the alliance with one of the international leaders in the field of synthetic biology would further strengthen AIBN’s strategic focus in this field.
The agreement, which was signed at the San Francisco offices of Amyris on January 20, would mean AIBN researchers, led by Professor Lars Nielsen, would be able to collaborate on synthetic biology projects with Amyris scientists.
‘’Amyris is a world leader in the exciting new field of synthetic biology, which enables the reprogramming of microorganism to synthesise specific products,” Professor Nielsen said.
“Amyris has already successfully used synthetic biology to produce yeast cells which cost-effectively produce artemisin, a potent anti-malarial product.”
The agreement allows Professor Nielsen and his team at AIBN to work in a collaborative fashion with Amyris scientists to develop yeast cells capable of converting sugar (sucrose) into long chain alkanes of use in sustainable jet fuels.
Media: Professor Peter Gray (07 3346 3899).
Backgrounder
AIBN
The AIBN is an integrated multi-disciplinary research institute bringing together the skills of world-class researchers in the areas of bioengineering and nanotechnology. Based in Brisbane, this integrated biotechnology-based institute merges the skills of the engineer, chemist, biologist and computational scientist. The unique combination of scientists and engineers focus their efforts towards research that produces positive health and environmental outcomes, including biomedical delivery; biodevices; tissue regeneration; and cell therapies. The AIBN's primary research and development focus leads to new products, processes and devices for improving human health and quality of life. Through focused research outcomes the Institute goes beyond basic research to promote the growth of new applications and industries.
Amyris
Amyris is an integrated, renewable products company striving to help the world reduce its carbon footprint through the production and use of renewable chemicals and transportation fuels. Amyris’s strategy is to combine technology, production and distribution with the goal of commercialising and scaling products effectively while participating across the supply chain.
