![Dr James Heffernan](/sites/default/files/profiles/36567.png)
Overview
Background
We are currently investigating biological processes that valorise waste carbon, typically gaseous compounds such as CO2, CO, or CH4. Microbial biotechnology is our focus due to its scalability, efficiency, and stability - being capable of utilising typical catalysis contaminants such as NOx and H2S. Further, certain hydrogenotrophs and methanotrophs (H2 and CH4 utilising organisms) have metabolic properties that make them attractive for use in the circular carbon economy (e.g. co-uptake of CO2 and CH4 as sole carbon and energy sources). A wide-range of products can also be made, from short-chain alcohols to polymers and tailored animal feeds. To better understand their ability for real-world application, we characterise their metabolism using multi-omics analysis methodologies and then optimise it through data-driven hypotheses and testing. My main interests include
- identifying genes (and their regulation) essential for desirable traits, and methods for manipulation of those genes to enhance a bioprocess.
- (methods for) identifying and alleviating bottlenecks in metabolism.
- creating novel C1 metabolic pathways through culturing of synthetic microbial consortia and/or metabolic engineering.
James recently submitted completed his PhD, where he was also working in the Marcellin Group. Prior to this, he studied for a BE(Hons.) in Chemical and Process Engineering (with Bioprocess minor) at the University of Canterbury (NZ) and became interested in further study after a summer research internship. His PhD research employed systems biology and bioprocess engineering principles to build datasets that expanded our understanding of gas fermentation in an industrially relevant manner. In partnership with LanzaTech, the World leader in commercial gas fermentation, this analysis focused on the industrially-relevant and model acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum. Current interests in reducing global CO2 levels and high efficiencies encouraged us to investigate this biological system as a potential CO2 recycling platform.
Availability
- Dr James Heffernan is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, University of Canterbury
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor James Heffernan’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness
Ingelman, Henri, Heffernan, James K., Harris, Audrey, Brown, Steven D., Shaikh, Kurshedaktar Majibullah, Saqib, Asfand Yar, Pinheiro, Marina J., de Lima, Lorena Azevedo, Rodriguez Martinez, Karen, Gonzalez-Garcia, Ricardo A., Hawkins, Grant, Daleiden, Jim, Tran, Loan, Zeleznik, Hunter, Jensen, Rasmus O., Reynoso, Vinicio, Schindel, Heidi, Jänes, Jürgen, Simpson, Séan D., Köpke, Michael, Marcellin, Esteban and Valgepea, Kaspar (2024). Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness. New Biotechnology, 83, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2024.06.002
2024
Journal Article
Adaptive laboratory evolution of Clostridium autoethanogenum to metabolize CO2 and H2 enhances growth rates in chemostat and unravels proteome and metabolome alterations
Heffernan, James, Garcia Gonzalez, R. Axayactl, Mahamkali, Vishnu, McCubbin, Tim, Daygon, Dara, Liu, Lian, Palfreyman, Robin, Harris, Audrey, Koepke, Michael, Valgepea, Kaspar, Nielsen, Lars Keld and Marcellin, Esteban (2024). Adaptive laboratory evolution of Clostridium autoethanogenum to metabolize CO2 and H2 enhances growth rates in chemostat and unravels proteome and metabolome alterations. Microbial Biotechnology, 17 (4) e14452, e14452. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.14452
2023
Journal Article
Tuning flow-through cu-based hollow fiber gas-diffusion electrode for high-efficiency carbon monoxide (CO) electroreduction to C2+products
Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Heffernan, James K., Ge, Lei, Zhang, Xueqin, Yan, Penghui, Marcellin, Esteban, Hu, Shihu, Zhu, Zhonghua, Wang, Hao and Yuan, Zhiguo (2023). Tuning flow-through cu-based hollow fiber gas-diffusion electrode for high-efficiency carbon monoxide (CO) electroreduction to C2+products. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 330 122589, 122589. doi: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2023.122589
2023
Other Outputs
Sustainable fuel and chemical production via Gas Fermentation: exploring CO2 metabolism by Clostridium autoethanogenum
Heffernan, James (2023). Sustainable fuel and chemical production via Gas Fermentation: exploring CO2 metabolism by Clostridium autoethanogenum. PhD Thesis, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/227fcc6
2023
Journal Article
Microbial conversion of waste gases into single-cell protein
Jain, Surbhi, Heffernan, James, Joshi, Jitendra, Watts, Thomas, Marcellin, Esteban and Greening, Chris (2023). Microbial conversion of waste gases into single-cell protein. Microbiology Australia, 44 (1), 27-30. doi: 10.1071/ma23007
2023
Journal Article
Biogas upgrading using Clostridium autoethanogenum for value-added products
Heffernan, James K., Lai, Chun-Yu, Gonzalez-Garcia, R. Axayacatl, Nielsen, Lars Keld, Guo, Jianhua and Marcellin, Esteban (2023). Biogas upgrading using Clostridium autoethanogenum for value-added products. Chemical Engineering Journal, 452 (Part 1) 138950, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.138950
2022
Journal Article
Analytical tools for unravelling the metabolism of gas-fermenting Clostridia
Heffernan, James K., Mahamkali, Vishnu, Valgepea, Kaspar, Marcellin, Esteban and Nielsen, Lars K. (2022). Analytical tools for unravelling the metabolism of gas-fermenting Clostridia. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 75 102700, 102700. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102700
2021
Journal Article
Strategies to improve viability of a circular carbon bioeconomy – A techno-economic review of microbial electrosynthesis and gas fermentation
Wood, Jamin C., Grové, Johannes, Marcellin, Esteban, Heffernan, James K., Hu, Shihu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Virdis, Bernardino (2021). Strategies to improve viability of a circular carbon bioeconomy – A techno-economic review of microbial electrosynthesis and gas fermentation. Water Research, 201 117306, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117306
2021
Journal Article
Transcriptional control of Clostridium autoethanogenum using CRISPRi
Fackler, Nick, Heffernan, James, Juminaga, Alex, Doser, Damien, Nagaraju, Shilpa, Gonzalez-Garcia, R. Axayacatl, Simpson, Séan D., Marcellin, Esteban and Köpke, Michael (2021). Transcriptional control of Clostridium autoethanogenum using CRISPRi. Synthetic Biology, 6 (1) ysab008, 1-8. doi: 10.1093/synbio/ysab008
2020
Journal Article
Enhancing CO2-valorization using Clostridium autoethanogenum for sustainable fuel and chemicals production
Heffernan, James K., Valgepea, Kaspar, Lemgruber, Renato de Souza Pinto, Casini, Isabella, Plan, Manuel, Tappel, Ryan, Simpson, Sean D., Kopke, Michael, Nielsen, Lars K. and Marcellin, Esteban (2020). Enhancing CO2-valorization using Clostridium autoethanogenum for sustainable fuel and chemicals production. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 8, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00204
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr James Heffernan is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Biological CO2 and H2 utilization for sustainable animal feed production
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Professor Esteban Marcellin
-
Master Philosophy
Harnessing Microbial Power: Turning Carbon into Valuable Products through Gas Fermentation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin
-
Doctor Philosophy
Biorecycyling carbon using acetogens
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Professor Gary Schenk, Dr Axa Gonzalez, Professor Esteban Marcellin
Media
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