If we are to make a real impact on the green transition, we must find new solutions to develop many of the products and production processes that we know and use today. This includes building materials, clothing, and food, which to a large extent are still being produced using oil and gas, and which in their own way contribute a significant share of the world's total CO2 emissions.
The new initiative 'Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition' (BRIGHT) will help solve this task by creating knowledge and biologically based solutions that can replace fossil fuels.
Three focus areas
The initiative will focus on three main areas:
- Sustainable materials
- Microbial foods
- Microorganisms for net-zero agriculture
The three areas comprise the mission-driven framework within which the new initiative's research, innovation, and education activities will take place.
The goal is to develop and scale innovative biosolutions within each of these areas, ultimately creating sustainable and competitive alternatives to fossil-based products and processes that can make significant contributions to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
"The new initiative will further strengthen DTU's position in fundamental biotechnology and enable even better collaboration between strong competencies across the university and with external partners, particularly companies. The idea is that this collaboration will create a solid foundation for the development of tomorrow's sustainable materials and foods based on biotechnology," says Anders Bjarklev, President of DTU.
"At the same time, I'm incredibly pleased that with the new initiative, we will have an even better foundation for educating the highly specialised engineers necessary to drive the bioeconomy forward," says Anders Bjarklev.
Targeting the development of scalable solutions
A unique feature of BRIGHT will be the introduction of a so-called 'mission enabler', aimed at promoting promising projects and testing their scalability. This will be achieved by integrating various types of technologies and infrastructure within areas such as data science, informatics, cell factories, and fermentation.
"BRIGHT will be a gathering point for academic and industrial partners working together to unlock the potential of bioproduction. It will help us develop scalable solutions that can significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and expand Denmark's position within bio-based industry," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
DTU is currently home to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, which has contributed globally with technologies for developing microbial cell factories – an essential part of bio-based production. BRIGHT will build on these competencies, supplemented by other DTU strongholds. As the grant for BRIGHT is phased in, activities at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability will transition to BRIGHT or be phased out.
"The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability has excelled in many parameters and has helped consolidate DTU as a leader in biotechnology research and innovation. I particularly commend the innovation culture and the centre's outstanding ability to generate spinout companies. With the grant for BRIGHT, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, in collaboration with DTU, aims to become even more focused on developing scalable solutions and accelerating their commercialisation in collaboration with industry," concludes Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.
