The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has
announced the Engineering Biology for Environmental Applications Doctoral
Focal Award (ENGBIO4ENV), a first-of-its-kind training programme in the UK.
Part of the Cranfield University-led UKRI Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre, the ENGBIO4ENV programme has been designed to take the
transformative advances made in engineering biology over the last few years
and translate them into practical, real-world solutions.
The programme will do that by adopting a systems-level approach rather than
focusing on isolated disciplines. This will equip researchers with the
interdisciplinary skills needed to transition between academia, industry and
government.
ENGBIO4ENV will train 52 doctoral candidates to tackle these key areas:
-
Drive the UK’s transition to a circular bioeconomy and net-zero
economy. -
Develop field-ready biotechnologies for pollution remediation,
resource recovery, and real-time environmental monitoring. -
Lead in sectors such as bio-based green economy, environmental
resilience, clean growth, and data-driven environmental governance. -
Address critical skills shortages in microbial community
engineering, AI-driven bioprocess optimisation, bespoke biosecurity
solutions, and process scale-up for industrial applications. -
Influence policy through robust environmental techno-economic and
risk assessments.
Frederic Coulon, Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology at
Cranfield University, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for
early-career researchers to make an impact in an area where the UK has a
clear skills gap to fill.
“The ENGBIO4ENV programme has been co-designed by 25 industry and Government
partners to make sure that graduates have the skills needed to contribute in
whatever area they choose. The programme goes far beyond a traditional PhD
and also offers a variety of tailored career development activities, which
will aid all students in their transition between studying and the world of
work.”
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, BBSRC Executive Chair, said: “Through these
investments, UKRI is strengthening the UK’s leadership in critical
technologies while creating meaningful opportunities for businesses,
researchers and regions across the country. The industrial doctoral
landscape awards and doctoral focal awards will equip a new generation of
talented researchers with the skills to drive innovation, support
high-growth sectors and improve lives.”
The ENGBIO4ENV programme also includes researchers from
Brunel University of London, Newcastle University, the University of Glasgow
and the University of Southampton. It is further supported by the National
Measurement Laboratory and the National Physical Laboratory. With global
partnerships in the USA, Japan, Spain, Brazil, and Ireland, ENGBIO4ENV will
enable the UK to share its expertise, adopt international best practices,
and sustain its leadership in engineering biology and environmental
biotechnology while applying those areas to tackle environmental challenges.
The ENGBIO4ENV doctoral focal award is supported through the UKRI
Engineering Biology initiative, with the Natural Environment Research
Council acting as the direct sponsoring and administering council for this
award.