Today Uppsala BIO is posting yet another call in its program BIO-X, which takes research to proof-of-concept. For the first time they are looking for projects that can offer solutions in what is usually called green and industrial biotechnology, that is, solutions in e.g. plant production, forest improvement, bioenergy, or food technology.

BIO-X offers research teams custom-tailored project support in the form of contacts with customers and end-users, expert evaluations, project planning, and IP support. One or two projects will also be provided with about SEK 1 million in funding per year and per project for up to two years.

The starting point for the BIO-X program is always the needs in society that can be addressed with solutions from biotechnological research and development. This time the solutions sought are those that can lead to innovations in fields critical to our common future.

It’s a well-known fact that our ecosystems are facing a number of major challenges. Greater population pressure sharpens the competition for access to water and land to produce food, even though we in the West throw away huge amounts of food. Climate changes are placing new demands on plant production. The need for new large-scale and sustainable energy solutions is growing ever more urgent.

The use of biotechnological solutions to develop new types of renewable energy, to replace chemicals in industrial contexts, and to allow sustainable production of forests and food is an economically vital application of research.

Ahead of this new call, Uppsala BIO has recruited new members to the BIO-X Advisory Board, the group of individuals with experience from research and its applications in industry that assess project proposals and pilot them forward.

”We are truly humbled as we venture into a new territory, and we are highly appreciative that our Advisory Board will be able to offer researchers experience from the foodstuffs industry, biorefining, plant production, and environmental issues,” says Kristin Hellman, Uppsala BIO, who is in charge of the call for proposals.  ”Their experience from industry complements our own experience with guiding research projects toward proof-of-concept.”

”BIO-X is a unique program that offers research teams active process support to advance research findings into proof-of-concept in close collaboration with users and industrial developers,” says Erik Forsberg, Managing Director of Uppsala BIO.

”Many applications of biotechnology to develop bioenergy or solutions for food technology, for instance, have relatively long horizons, and the economic and technological risks involved are deemed to be high. The BIO-X process reduces many of these risks considerably. BIO-X is therefore a key tool in fostering innovative solutions also in green and industrial biotechnology,” he continues.

BIO-X is seeking project ideas that are too early for commercial financing, but too far advanced to qualify for ordinary research funding.

The call for proposals in green and industrial biotechnology is open through May 27. All information about the call is available at www.uppsalabio.se/bio-x.

What is green and industrial biotechnology?

Green biotechnology is most often used to refer to methods aiming to use biotechnological processes to enhance the yield of plant production for producing food or animal fodder or in forestry.

Industrial biotechnology, sometimes also called white biotechnology, refers to the use of bacteria and enzymes, for example, as “cell factories” to produce energy raw materials, plastics, detergents, food packaging, etc.

About Uppsala BIO and BIO-X

BIO-X has been part of Uppsala BIO’s program since 2004. Today there are about 50 projects participating in the support program. Since its inception, eight projects have also been financed by BIO-X, five of which have now left the program. Four of these projects are being further developed today in various life-science companies. The most recent previous call, seeking projects in diagnostics, generated more than thirty documented project proposals from leading research teams in Uppsala and Stockholm. That selection process is expected to be completed by the end of April.

For further information:

Madeleine Neil, director of communication, cell phone: +46 (0)768-29 77 77, madeleine.neil@uppsalabio.se