White Biotechnology
Research at the laboratory focuses on the microbial synthesis of fine and bulk chemicals and enzymes through fermentation and biocatalytic processes. This includes screening for new microbial production strains, the development and optimisation of fermentation processes, metabolic engineering, genetic engineering for the improvement of production strains as well as down-stream processing for the isolation and purification of bio-products. In the field of bio-energy, the research is actively focused on developing new industrial processes, which directly or indirectly facilitate the production of liquid biofuels. New methods for the production of biodiesel from a variety of oil sources are currently being developed in collaboration with other pioneering laboratories. This laboratory is also active in the field of bio-ethanol production and are examining possibilities for new processes that utilise lignocellulosic feedstocks from a variety of sources.

Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology
Ghent University
Coupure links 653
B-9000 Ghent
Tel: +32 9 264 60 33
Fax: +32 9 264 62 31
wim.soetaert@ugent.be
erick.vandamme@ugent.be
www.inbio.be