Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University
Application deadline is 10 July 2009
Red Clover: a feedstock for sustainable integrated biorefining

BBSRC Industrial CASE Studentship based at IBERS, Aberystwyth University

Supervisors Michael Abberton (IBERS), Steve Bowra (Verzyme)

Red clover, a legume, has the potential to play a significant role in supporting truly sustainable integrated biorefining. The commercial partner, Verzyme (UK) Ltd has considerable interest in developing the application of red clover as both a feed stock for integrated biorefining but also a host for heterologous protein production i.e. industrial enzymes in a red clover leaves post harvest under controlled conditions.
The studentship has two principal goals;

• Develop clover as a potential feedstock to support integrated biorefining, where clover proteins can be used for the production of bio-plastics
• Identify clover lines which support enhanced production of heterologous protein production in clover leaves under post harvest conditions

A common feature is to develop an understanding of the biochemistry and physiological response of red clover under post harvest conditions. This will involve studies at the molecular and biochemical level of the processes which are initiated when clover leaves are detached, with the goal of preserving the integration of the leaf /cell until down stream processing is applied.

Enquiries to: Michael Abberton: (mla@aber.ac.uk)

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