Interspecies electron transfer in biotechnology (2009-2013)
Abstract
Industrial and environmental biotechnology rely heavily on mixed microbial communities. Interspecies electron transfer (IET) is a core process in interactions between different microbes. Poor understanding of IET hampers applications crucial to emerging energy and commodities industries such as production of biofuels, organic chemicals, and electricity by microbial fuel cells. This project will use molecular and classic microbiology, in-situ investigative tools, and modelling on a cellular scale to investigate these interactions. We will determine the significance of newly discovered mechanisms and develop the ability to manipulate them. This will provide strong gains to industry, as well as high impact scientific knowledge.
