VibroZyme · Mechanoredox-Biocatalysis: Functional enzyme supports that harvest vibrational energy to power redox biocatalysis

Redox enzymes are a diverse enzyme class with significant industrial potential, improving sustainability in food, fuel and CO2 conversion. However, redox enzymes need a source of energy (electrons) to power their important reactions. While nature employs electrons transferred from cofactors (e.g. NAD(P)H) to drive redox biocatalysis, industry translation requires the addition of sacrificial chemicals, which increases cost, waste, and purification, and impedes scalability. This project aims to develop a new method to power redox enzymes using mechanical energy and piezoelectric materials, establishing a unique research field in mechanoredox biocatalysis. Inspired by natural mechanotransduction, where living systems convert mechanical stimuli into electrochemical activity, I will employ mechanoredox materials to transform ubiquitous vibrational energy from the environment into a sustainable supply of electrons to power redox biocatalysis. I will demonstrate this technology by coupling scalable piezoelectric-polymer composites with formate dehydrogenase (FDH) as a model enzyme, for vibration-powered CO2 reduction. First, I will design, construct and optimise piezo-polymer beads and films that generate a mechanoredox potential matched to redox enzymes. Next, I will couple these materials with FDH to catalyse CO2 reduction using vibrations from pumping as mechanical stimulus. Two routes will be explored, namely mediated and direct energy transfer (MET and DET) from the stimulated mechanoredox materials, culminating in a platform technology for exploiting redox enzymes in industry. I will gain extensive scientific and transferable skills from the team of Prof. Anne Meyer at DTU and my industry partner Novozymes to support my career development, including enzyme production and immobilization, and commercialisation. VibroZyme embodies a new strategy to enhance the scalability, sustainability and productivity of redox biomanufacturing, with immense commercial potential.