Class 2017
PhD Grant: PD/BD/135140/2017 | COVID/BD/151843/2021
PhD thesis
Developing bioprocesses with marine bacteria for sustainable industrial applications
Supervisor
Carla C.C.R. Carvalho, Professor @ IST/ULisboa, PT
Proposal summary
The microbial diversity that the Ocean offers is tremendous for potential industrial application of biocatalysts. The harsh and broad environment that marine microorganisms face has contributed to the evolution of microbial enzymes that ensure their survival. Microbial enzymes are used in a variety of industries contributing for sustainable processes, but high performance and promiscuous enzymes are still needed. To access new marine microbial enzymes, it is critical the cultivation of bacteria in the laboratory. Current techniques are thought to enable the growth of only ca. 1% of bacteria present in the marine samples. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new cultivation techniques to mimic the natural conditions. This proposal aims to develop novel integrative bioprocesses by accessing the enzymatic machinery of marine bacteria and improving cultivation techniques of ‘unculturable’ bacteria. This will contribute to sustainable industrial applications of marine enzymes with benefits for public health and the environment.
PUBLICATIONS
Papers
Rodrigues, C.J.C.; Ferrer, M.; de Carvalho, C.C.C.R. (2021), ω-Transaminase-Mediated Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-1-(4-Trifluoromethylphenyl)Ethylamine. Catalysts, 11, 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11030307
Rodrigues C. J., de Carvalho C. C. C. R., Phenotypic adaptations help Rhodococcus erythropolis cells during the degradation of paraffin wax. Biotechnology Journal, 1800598, 2019.
Rodrigues CJC, Sanches JM, de Carvalho CCCR, Determining transaminase activity in bacterial libraries by time-lapse imaging. Chemical Communications, 55(90):13538-13541, 2019.
Rodrigues, C.J.C., Pereira, R.F., Fernandes, P., Cabral, J.M. and de Carvalho, C.C.C.R. (2017), Cultivation-based strategies to find efficient marine biocatalysts. Biotechnol. J., 12: 1700036. https://doi.org/10.1002/biot.201700036
Oral Communications
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Using Rhodococcus adaptive mechanisms to improve bioprocesses”, Euro-Global Conference on Biotechnology and Bioengineering (ECBB 2021), Virtual conference 2021-09.
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Improving bioprocesses by using adaptation strategies of Rhodococcus”, Biotechnology Virtual 2020, November 16-17, 2020.
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Degradation of paraffin wax by Rhodococcus erythropolis. 12th ESBES – European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences, September 2018, Lisboa, Portugal
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Culturomics approach for the isolation of halophilic strains”, 12th International Congress of Extremophiles, September 16-20, 2018, Ischia, Italy.
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Marine bacteria from Azores as potential source of transaminases for drug development”, MicroBiotec2017 December 7-8, 2017, Porto, Portugal
Poster Communications
Rodrigues, C.J.C., “New marine biocatalysts for sustainable industrial bioprocesses”, PhD open days 2018, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Searching for transaminase activity in bacteria from the Azores” 12th ESBES – European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences, September 2018, Lisboa, Portugal
de Carvalho,C.C.C.R., Rodrigues, C.J.C., Carvalho, F., Pereira, R.F.S., Cabral, J.M.S., Fernandes, P., “Culturomics approaches for finding marine biocatalysts. 12th ESBES – European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences, September 2018, Lisboa, Portugal
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Culturomics to Find New Marine Biocatalysts for Industrial Processes”, PhD open days 2019, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Trifluoromethylamine production using a transaminase”, Amine biocatalysis 4.0., February 17-19, 2020, Stuttgart, Germany
Rodrigues, C.J.C., de Carvalho, C.C.C.R., “Exploring marine environments for new biocatalysts”, PhD open days 2020, October 26-28, 2020, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal
DOCTORAL PROGRAM (36 ECTS)
Curricular Units:
• General Doctoral Training (6 ECTS)
• Advanced Experimental Techniques and methodologies (6 ECTS)
• Bioentrepreneurship (6 ECTS)
• Outreach and Teaching Skills (6 ECTS)
• Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering (6 ECTS)
• Sensors, Instrumentation and Measurement in Biological Systems (6 ECTS)
Advanced Courses:
BrewingX: Beer: the science of brewing a course of study offered by KULeuvenX, an online learning initiative of KU Leuven. 2020.