About the Industrial Biotechnology Alliance
Industrial biotechnology offers novel greener solutions to manufacturing, so reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The mission of the Industrial Biotechnology Alliance (IBA) is to build on the multi-disciplinary research, scientific excellence and critical mass across the Norwich Research Park (NRP) to address major societal and environmental challenges of the 21st century through the discovery and development of biological resources for producing and processing materials, chemicals and energy, using plants and microbes as factories. IBA supports integration and synergy of research teams across the NRP through scientific meetings, workshops, NRP-funded pump-priming projects and cross-NRP studentships. IBA also works with the NRP partners on building strategic interactions with funding agencies, stakeholders, and industry.
Our research
Major research themes within IBA:
IBA embraces and supports research in all areas of industrial biotechnology across the NRP, and researchers with suggestions or proposals for workshops and/or new areas of activity are encouraged to contact anne.osbourn@jic.ac.uk to discuss.
IBA Research Fellowships
IBA is seeking to attract the next generation of scientists to contribute to our world-class research. IBA supports outstanding individuals in their applications for Independent Research Fellowships (e.g. BBSRC, NERC, Marie Sklodowska-Curie, ERC, Leverhulme Trust) with the backing of our globally-renowned research institutions. Candidates who have research interests that fall broadly into the two key research themes of IBA (see above) or into the new theme ‘Decoding and Recoding Biological Systems’ (currently under development) are invited to apply for our support. Key senior scientists at the NRP can help develop and enhance your Fellowship proposal, discuss your future research plans and provide expert advice on writing your Fellowship application whilst facilitating the potential to forge new collaborations.
If you are considering applying for a Fellowship in one of the IBA themes then please contact us: anne.osbourn@jic.ac.uk
Facilities and Resources
- The Biorefinery Centre: Offers tailored solutions to converts waste biomass into added value products
- The Wolfson Fermentation and Bioenergy Unit: A containment 2 level facility with large-scale bioreactors (15-100 litres). It also houses continuous culture bioreactors for studies on microbial physiology under fermentation conditions
- The National Collection of Yeast Cultures: one of the largest yeast collections in the world
- The Germplasm Resources Unit: a national capability curating thousands of current and historic seeds from diverse plant species
- Leaf Systems Ltd: a translational facility for research, development and manufacture of high value products in plants
- DNA Foundry for Synthetic Biology: a super-efficient, automated DNA assembly platform that assembles synthetic molecules at nanoscales
