Metabolic Engineering: A Pathway to Sustainable Industry
Dr. Luisa Gronenberg is a VP of Technology Integration and Strain Development at Insempra in Munich, Germany. Her journey into biotechnology began with a fascination for chemistry, which gradually led her through chemical biology and into the exciting world of metabolic engineering. The driving force behind this transition was a deep-seated desire to contribute to reducing global CO2 emissions. “In both my daily life and work, I am motivated to move the needle in our fight against climate change,” Dr. Gronenberg says. “My ultimate ambition is to replace fossil-based processes with more sustainable biotech solutions produced from renewable resources.”
“My first encounter with molecular biology was during my PhD at Harvard, where I worked on the protein complexes that build membranes. At the time, I worked with the most model of all model organisms, E. coli. Back then, E. coli seemed like a complex enough system. But as my career progressed, I explored the diversity of the microbial world.” During a postdoctoral stay at UCLA, Dr. Gronenberg found a particular fascination with cyanobacteria, observing their growth in photobioreactors. For the past decade, at Biosyntia in Copenhagen, her focus was mostly on bacterial hosts and model yeasts. However, over the past three years at Insempra, her team has worked with a broad spectrum of yeasts, including some non-model oleaginous yeasts. “I now realize that E. coli was a tame pet in comparison. These yeasts are far more intricate," she remarked, "and engineering them demands a greater level of sophistication." However, she acknowledged the unique potential they hold, particularly for applications like lipid production, which simply wouldn't be feasible with traditional model organisms like E. coli.
Although Luisa can’t pick her favorite organism, she is grateful for the opportunity to explore the diversity of microorganisms and to work with an expert team at Insempra. “Each team member brings specialized knowledge around different microbes,” she explains, emphasizing the collaborative strength that enables the team to achieve significant breakthroughs beyond what could be accomplished with a single model organism.
Looking to the future of metabolic engineering, Luisa highlights the rapid advancement of molecular biology and genetic engineering tools. These innovations allow scientists to harness the capabilities of non-model organisms, which are more resilient and can thrive in extreme, cost-effective bioprocess conditions. Additionally, many can utilize second and third-generation feedstocks that do not compete with food supplies. “These new chassis strains also express catabolic pathways that are absent in our traditional model organisms, thereby expanding the breadth of metabolism available for engineering,” Dr. Gronenberg concludes.
Link to Dr. Luisa Gronenberg’s Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-gronenberg/
Find out more about Insempra at insempra.bio
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