Strain development and improvement

This service supports EIC beneficiaries who require reliable microbial production strains for the development of biobased processes. We provide genetic and metabolic engineering of microorganisms to enable or improve the biosynthesis of target molecules and to prepare strains for subsequent process development and industrial use.
We work with a broad range of microbial hosts, including E. coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yarrowia lipolytica, Pichia pastoris, Bacillus species, filamentous bacteria and fungi, as well as other organisms commonly used in industrial biotechnology. For each project, we select an appropriate chassis strain based on the characteristics of the target molecule and the expected process conditions. We then construct and modify the relevant biosynthetic pathways using established genome-editing tools such as CRISPR, together with other synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches. The service typically involves the design and introduction of new pathways or genes, optimisation of metabolic flux to improve production levels, and stabilisation of the engineered strain to ensure robust performance. Strain performance is verified at the laboratory scale to confirm production of the target molecule and to assess its suitability for further development. The main outcome for EIC beneficiaries is a proof-of-concept production strain that demonstrates feasibility of the desired biosynthesis pathway. This reduces technical uncertainty in the early stages of development and enables faster transition into process optimisation and scale-up.