At the Centre for Enzyme Innovation, we are working to solve one of the most pressing environmental issues facing our planet.
Learning from the natural world, we are delivering transformative enzyme-enabled solutions for the circular recycling of plastics.
Following a £5.8 million award from the Research England Expanding Excellence Fund in 2019, and a £1m award from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership in 2020 through the HM Government Getting Building Fund, we have created state-of-the-art facilities and built a team of specialist multidiscipline researchers to deliver world-class research and innovation.
University to share in £100 million funding to lead major science and technology hub to reduce plastic waste
The CEI recognised as a global centre of excellence in enzymatic plastics recycling
‘Plastic-eating’ enzymes to be deployed to combat waste polyester clothing
New enzyme discovery is another leap towards beating plastic waste
Scientists who helped to pioneer the use of enzymes to eat plastic have taken an important next step in developing nature-based solutions to the global plastics crisis.
Enzyme researchers partner with pioneering AI company DeepMind
Enzyme recycling of PET plastics can reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions
Our research
We currently have 30 scientists covering a wide range of disciplines including microbiology, molecular biophysics, biochemistry, enzyme engineering and synthetic biology, biotechnology, and more recently, polymer chemistry.
Hosted in our new custom laboratories, we have the expertise and facilities required to help tackle the challenge of plastic pollution and develop enzyme-based low energy, low carbon, biorecycling solutions.
Our research sits at the interface between enzymes and polymers with a focus on both pure and applied research in biocatalysis.
We are expanding our research and innovation activities to address the diverse range of plastics, including mixed waste streams and composites, materials that are often incinerated or end up in landfill and leak to the environment.
Centre Director
Our research is divided into 4 areas
- Discover new enzymes from the environment that break down plastics
- Engineer these enzymes to enhance their activity, stability and yield
- Deploy enzymes by pilot scale fermentation and industry-ready formulations
- Apply these enzymes in proof-of-concept biorecycling and upcycling processes
How we work
The CEI’s unique integrated research and innovation pipeline
The pipeline allows for the streamlined development of enzymes from discovery through to recycling applications.
Working towards a circular plastics economy
Enzymes break down waste plastic polymers into building blocks that are purified and re-polymerised, allowing infinite recycling of the materials as part of a circular plastics economy.
Publication highlights
2024
Banerjee, S., Beckham, G. T., Bemmer, V. L., Clark, M. A., Dale, T., Groseclose, T., Kober, E., Moore, B. R., Nguyen, H., Pickford, A.
17 Sep 2024, In: ACS Catalysis. 14, 17p.
Bemmer, V. L., Cahill, A., Green, K. R., Lichtenstein, B., Oliveira Pessoa, L., Wuscher, L.
17 May 2024, In: Faraday Discussions
Allcock, N., Bemmer, V., Cherny, D., Del Villar-Guerra, R., Dominguez, C., Donnelly, A., Kalra, S., Matthews, D., Revyakin, A., Rusling, D. A., Singh, N.
2 May 2024, In: Journal of the American Chemical Society
Beckham, G. T., Burgin, T., Crowley, M. F., Knott, B. C., Mayes, H. B., McGeehan, J., Pollard, B. C., Woodcock, H. L.
27 Mar 2024, In: Communications Chemistry. 7, 14p., 65
2023
Lamb, C. E., Watts, J. E. M.
1 Dec 2023, In: Environmental Microbiome. 18, 1, 11p., 52
Active Research Projects
Lichtenstein, B.
01/11/2022 → 31/10/2027
Funding
Researchers from the Centre for Enzyme Innovation receive funding from a wide range of external sources, including the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the National Environment Research Council (NERC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Commission, Innovate UK, Diamond Light Source, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Johnson Matthey, the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Iwatani Foundation.
Our most recent large funding awards were awarded from the Research England E3 scheme (£5.8m) and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (£1m).
Contact us
Discover how you can collaborate with the CEI.
If you're a commercial or academic organisation interested in working with us, please contact our Innovation Fellow, .