Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CelESTial (Industrial Cell Factories and Sustainable Bioprocessing for Future Bioeconomy)
Reporting period: 2017-09-01 to 2018-08-31
• Define the long-term research and innovation strategy for the ECSB
• Define knowledge management and commercialization strategy
• Define academic career management strategy
• Establish strong industrial and academic connections and a strategy to ensure long term collaboration
• Complete preparatory activities for setting up the infrastructure for the planned cell factory eco-system
• Establish innovative curricula and training programs focused on industrial biotechnology
During the year, the teaming partners Estonian Centre for Synthetic Biology and Center for Biosustainability established strong ties between the research groups that would be necessary for moving to the next stage of development. This includes identifying several collaboration projects in the cell factory research and development field. The conceptual design of the technology development platform and the pilot plant was finalized. Strategic long-term plans to improve and sustain the research excellence and synergy between the centers were outlined.
Dissemination strategies to the Estonian government, interested associations and potential industrial partners were established during the project. The project was widely introduced in the synthetic biology/biotechnology global research community and to the wider public in Estonia and beyond. As a result, the project was able to secure a commitment for significant financial support from the Estonian government should the project move to the next stage. In so doing, the project team was also able to gain public support for the sustainable valorization of local biomass. In addition, key industrial partners have been engaged with, so that initial collaboration strategies have been developed. As a result of these efforts, we have also been able to determine that there is a large interest from the wider industrial sectors for the products of our platform. All of the above will be instrumental in ensuring that the project is sustainable over the long term.
To realize this, during the project period a long-term R&D strategy, as well as strategies for management, commercialization and career management were developed and approved by both consortia partners. By achieving these goals, we not only have fulfilled the expectations of the one-year Teaming Phase 1 project CelESTial but have laid a strong foundation from which we will be able to develop and eventually implement a successful Teaming Phase 2 project.