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Welcome

BioUPGRADE unites expertise in functional genomics and material science to deliver breakthrough biotechnologies that sustainably upgrade nature’s main structural biopolymers into high-value and multipurpose materials.

Living organisms drive our planetary carbon cycle via biocatalysts that transform carbon-dioxide into an enormous array of diverse and functional molecules. A significant fraction of this carbon is transformed into structural cell wall polysaccharides, like cellulose, hemicelluloses, and chitin. Thus, these polysaccharides represent the most abundant source of natural polymers on Earth.

Today, most biocatalysts used in bio-based economies degrade structural polysaccharides for use as commodity chemicals and fuels. Instead, BioUPGRADE is driven by the untapped opportunity to channel the selectivity of biocatalysts to create high-value and sustainable bioproducts that maximize the efficient use of renewable bioresources.

Showing samples in test tubes on a lab bench. DNA electrophoresis gel. Sample being loaded on to a rheometer disc. Research scientist viewing a biological sample. Showing the syringe injection of reagents to a sample vessel
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Welcome

BioUPGRADE unites expertise in functional genomics and material science to deliver breakthrough biotechnologies that sustainably upgrade nature’s main structural biopolymers into high-value and multipurpose materials.

Living organisms drive our planetary carbon cycle via biocatalysts that transform carbon-dioxide into an enormous array of diverse and functional molecules. A significant fraction of this carbon is transformed into structural cell wall polysaccharides, like cellulose, hemicelluloses, and chitin. Thus, these polysaccharides represent the most abundant source of natural polymers on Earth.

Today, most biocatalysts used in bio-based economies degrade structural polysaccharides for use as commodity chemicals and fuels. Instead, BioUPGRADE is driven by the untapped opportunity to channel the selectivity of biocatalysts to create high-value and sustainable bioproducts that maximize the efficient use of renewable bioresources.

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BioUPGRADE INtroduction video

Upcoming events

November 8, 2023 - Events

November 30-December 1, 2023 Online Plenary

Save-the date! Plenary meeting before the Steering board meeting is scheduled [...] Read more »

September 18, 2023 - Events

ACS Spring March 17-21, New Orleans

Division of Cellulose and Renewable Materials – Enzymatic Upgrading of Biopolymers Towards Multipurpose Functional Materials Structural cell wall polysaccharides such as cellulose, chitin, and hemicelluloses constitute the main renewable resource from [...] Read more »

Latest news

November 14, 2023 - News

UPM visits KTH to strengthen further collaborations

BioUPGRADE partner UPM had the pleasure of visiting KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, where they met with the talented researchers from the lab of Francisco Javier Vilaplana Domingo. Project members had fruitful discussions on various [...] Read more »

October 5, 2023 - News

Summary of the plenary: BioGUNE as a host

Last July, we hosted our second in-person plenary meeting in Spain. As the event’s organizers, we selected Granada, a city rich in culture, as our meeting point. The first day featured a series of presentations prepared by Aalto University and CIC BioGUNE. [...] Read more »

Bioupgrade collaborators

 
Aalto University
UPM
CIC biogune
KTH