‌We are using model-driven synthetic biology approaches to enhance the ability of waste-water communities to breakdown micropollutants.

The synthetic biology work package focuses on developing and testing new techniques for enhancing the function of the organisms found in a waste water treatment system. We will focus initially on the degradation of synthetic estrogen compounds found in contraceptive pills which are not easily broken down in natural systems. By identifying and studying the bacteria that can breakdown estrogen we can begin to develop ways to enhance their capabilities using synthetic biology approaches. These approaches can range from using natural evolution to encourage individual organisms to further develop desirable characteristics through to targeted systematic changes to the genetics of these organisms to more carefully and selectively enhance their function. We will also research methods of carrying out these approaches on the entire ecosystem simultaneously instead of single types of organisms on their own.

Objectives:

1. Develop the technological capacity to be able to enhance selected biological functions of bacteria and bacterial populations
2. Use sequencing to identify the genes and enzymes involved in estrogen degradation
3. Use enhanced evolution and synthetic biology approaches to evolve and develop bacteria to have higher estrogen degradation capacity
4. Characterise the evolved strains using laboratory based characterisation and mathematical modelling

Team Profiles

• Anil Wipat (email)
• Lucy Eland (email)
• Michael White (email)
• James Skelton (email)
• Valeria Verrone (email)