The US National Science Foundation (NSF) along with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and partner agencies in Canada, Finland, Japan, and the Republic of Korea have announced funding of some $82 million for the 'Global Centres' competition. The funding will support six new centres focused on advancing bioeconomy research to solve global challenges.
The centres include the CIRCLE Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy. This will address challenges associated waste streams including food and plastic waste as well as air pollution, and is headquartered at the J Craig Venter Institute in California.
The International Research Centre for Enhancing Plant Resilience, at Michigan State University, will address sustainable agriculture.
The Global Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts will focus on the development of environmentally and economically sustainable bio-derived composites and plastics. It will be based at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
The Alliance for Socially-acceptable & Actionable Plants (ASAP), at the University of Illinois, will work on improving feedstock-crop performance. Reliable and Scalable Biofoundries for Biomanufacturing and Global Bioeconomy, also at the University of Illinois, will develop metrics and standards for biofoundries.
And finally, the International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Centre (IBMC) at the University of California-Berkeley aims to advance the use of microalgae in the global supply chain.
UKRI’s CEO Ottoline Leyser said “Alongside replacing fossil fuels, there is an urgent need to replace petrochemical industrial feedstocks across a wide range of sectors. This is a global challenge that requires global solutions, and UKRI is delighted to be partnering with NSF Global Centeres 2024 programme to meet this need.” The UK is supporting all six Global Centres.
NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan added: “The Global Centres are leveraging expertise and resources across like-minded nations and uniting multidisciplinary teams from around the world to accelerate innovations in the bioeconomy for great impact.”
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