Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-02330, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Levin, David (University of Manitoba)|Levin, David (Université du Manitoba), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Manitoba, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Discovery Grants Program - Individual, program name french : Programme de subventions à la découverte - individuelles, program purpose english : Global production of petroleum-derived plastics is in excess of 310 million metric tonnes. Significant amounts (22% to 43%) of these non-biodegradable plastic materials are disposed of in municipal land-fill sites and million tonnes per year of plastic materials are accumulating in the oceans and pose a significant threat to ocean ecosystems. There is a growing market pull for renewable and biodegradable polymeric products, both in Canada and internationally, to reduce our dependence on non-biodegradable, petroleum-based polymers. Bio-based, biodegradable plastics offer great potential to displace non-degradable polymers for many commercial applications. The overall objective of my research program is to create and characterize novel medium chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) polymers synthesized by bacteria that are tailored to specific novel applications. The sub-unit composition of these polymers determines their physical and thermal properties, which in-turn determines the specific uses. Microbially synthesized PHA polymers are both biodegradable and biocompatible, and have great potential as alternative source of polyester polymers for a wide variety of industrial applications, such as bioresins in biocomposite materials, as biodegradable packaging films, 3-D printing of biodegradable plastic components as scaffolds for tissue engineering, and/or as capsules for slow release of pharmaceuticals. The proposed research will combine the use of genetic engineering and bioprocess engineering approaches to induce the microbial synthesis of PHA polymers with novel subunit composition from low cost, renewable sources. We will characterize the physical and thermal properties of these polymers, modifying the polymers to create novel physical and/or thermal properties suitable for high-value applications. The proposed research will support four PhD students and eight undergraduate students who will acquire advanced skills in molecular biology, bioprocess engineering, and material sciences. This research will open new fields of study and drive innovation that will focus on the development of new products and applications (i.e. renewable food packaging, tissue engineering scaffolds, biodegradable wound dressings, biocompatible implants, etc.). Both the European Union and the United States of America have developed bio-economy strategies with a clear focus on innovation for environmental sustainability. To remain competitive in the global bioeconomy, Canada must remain at the leading edge of innovation, using biotechnology and bioprocess engineering to develop novel polymers for industrial applications., program purpose french : Global production of petroleum-derived plastics is in excess of 310 million metric tonnes. Significant amounts (22% to 43%) of these non-biodegradable plastic materials are disposed of in municipal land-fill sites and million tonnes per year of plastic materials are accumulating in the oceans and pose a significant threat to ocean ecosystems. There is a growing market pull for renewable and biodegradable polymeric products, both in Canada and internationally, to reduce our dependence on non-biodegradable, petroleum-based polymers. Bio-based, biodegradable plastics offer great potential to displace non-degradable polymers for many commercial applications. The overall objective of my research program is to create and characterize novel medium chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) polymers synthesized by bacteria that are tailored to specific novel applications. The sub-unit composition of these polymers determines their physical and thermal properties, which in-turn determines the specific uses. Microbially synthesized PHA polymers are both biodegradable and biocompatible, and have great potential as alternative source of polyester polymers for a wide variety of industrial applications, such as bioresins in biocomposite materials, as biodegradable packaging films, 3-D printing of biodegradable plastic components as scaffolds for tissue engineering, and/or as capsules for slow release of pharmaceuticals. The proposed research will combine the use of genetic engineering and bioprocess engineering approaches to induce the microbial synthesis of PHA polymers with novel subunit composition from low cost, renewable sources. We will characterize the physical and thermal properties of these polymers, modifying the polymers to create novel physical and/or thermal properties suitable for high-value applications. The proposed research will support four PhD students and eight undergraduate students who will acquire advanced skills in molecular biology, bioprocess engineering, and material sciences. This research will open new fields of study and drive innovation that will focus on the development of new products and applications (i.e. renewable food packaging, tissue engineering scaffolds, biodegradable wound dressings, biocompatible implants, etc.). Both the European Union and the United States of America have developed bio-economy strategies with a clear focus on innovation for environmental sustainability. To remain competitive in the global bioeconomy, Canada must remain at the leading edge of innovation, using biotechnology and bioprocess engineering to develop novel polymers for industrial applications., agreement title english : Bioengineering Next Generation Biopolymers, agreement title french : Bioengineering Next Generation Biopolymers, agreement number : RGPIN, agreement value : 120000.0, agreement start date : 2017-05-10, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2022-2023), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada