BRIGHT will collaborate with Novonesis to advance microbial production on acetate - a key bottleneck in the CO₂-to-protein conversion process. The challenge is significant: while microbes naturally thrive on glucose derived from farmed crops, most struggle to efficiently utilize acetic acid produced from captured carbon.
Evolving microbes for a carbon-neutral future
Through the world-class BRIGHT Biofoundry at DTU, researchers will apply evolutionary engineering techniques to optimize yeast strains for acetate-based fermentation, focusing on increasing microbial tolerance to acetate, accelerating acetate consumption rates, boosting protein production yields, and reducing fermentation time and costs.
"This is where evolution becomes a design tool," explains Professor Adam Feist, who is leading the collaboration from BRIGHT. "We are not just asking whether microbes can grow on low-carbon inputs. We are evolving them to do it faster, more efficiently, and in ways that actually make industrial sense."
The research leverages BRIGHT's high-throughput automated evolution platform, enabling rapid, systematic strain improvement at a scale that would otherwise require years of traditional laboratory work.
A blueprint for circular bioeconomy
The collaboration represents a convergence of complementary expertise. Novonesis contributes decades of experience in designing and optimizing production strains, while BRIGHT brings leading capabilities in microbial evolution and high-throughput strain development.
"We're very excited that BRIGHT will now join forces with us to help turn captured CO₂ into a nutritious protein source," says Claus Crone Fuglsang, Chief Scientific Officer at Novonesis. "Together, we aim to develop yeasts and fungi that grow faster, tolerate acetate more effectively, and deliver higher protein yields. This partnership moves us closer to a future where CO₂-based proteins play a role in more sustainable food production."
"This collaboration shows what it takes to make impact," notes Professor Jochen Förster, Director of the BRIGHT Biofoundry. "Aligned partners, complementary expertise, and the courage to work through complexity together. We look forward to continuing the work and strengthening the collaboration in the years ahead."
