DECADES · Design of Catalytic Processes with Deep Eutectic Solvents

The DECADES doctoral network will conduct innovative research while training 10 PhD candidates with the interdisciplinary skills, intersectoral experience and entrepreneurial mindset to implement sustainability concepts in the European Biotech Sector, making a significant contribution to achieve the GREEN DEAL objectives of European Union. DECADES will focus on solvents as central part of the sustainability of biotechnological processes. Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are biobased and biodegradable solvents that hold potential to revolutionize the chemistry of the 21st century. Aim is to apply these 'Safe and Sustainable-by-Design' solvents to increase efficiency and sustainability of industrial biocatalysis. DECADES will bring to fruition the benefits of DESs by bridging current proof-of-concept knowledge from academia to industrial applications, and by a holistic exploitation considering solvent design and application through multiple aspects (catalyst, substrate, environmental impact) and along the whole pipeline (upstream/downstream). DECADES will greatly contribute to the transition to synthetic processes based on circular economy, by establishing biocatalytic synthesis of several value-added (bio-based) chemicals. DECADES emphasizes particularly the engineering of multi-step catalytic reactions in DESs. The scientific approach of DECADES is highly interdisciplinary and brings together biology, chemistry and process engineering to achieve significantly increased productivities and diminished waste. Commercial relevant processes will be up-scaled together with industry; for which continuous processing will be of main focus. 10 Non-academic partners ranging from high-tech SMEs to large producing companies and 6 academic institutions offer an intersectoral and interdisciplinary environment to provide 10 PhD candidates with outstanding employability profiles for the European Biotech Sector, both in academia and in industry.