As a close-knit team of international students of the Science & Technology program, based in Tartu, Estonia, we create a perfect atmosphere of freedom of thought and self-expression, comfortable human interactions, and cooperative efforts in solving different tasks in the course of project implementation. We welcome all enthusiasts to join our journey in an attempt to find a solution to critical problems using synthetic biology tools. The Estonia TUIT team unites people from all over the world: from Estonia to Sri Lanka, from Georgia to Iran. This incredible diversity has bestowed a plethora of ideas for finding solutions for a wide range of global problems and has resulted in forming long-term partnerships to make our ideas a reality.
Our team always investigates the possible influence of our project on humanity and the environment. The “Best Sustainable Development Impact Prize” added this year encouraged us to address the topics of modern world problems and the potential solutions that our project may provide.
Challenged by the global environmental threats, this year we wanted to contribute to the further development of bio-sustainable microbial production. More specifically, in our project, we focused on increasing the efficiency of lipid bioproduction. Lipids and lipid-derived compounds are widely used in the food industry and pharmaceuticals. To date, oil palm is one of the main sources of lipids. However, the growing need for vegetable oils results in extensive deforestation. This, in turn, causes other ecological problems, such as loss of biodiversity, and also local economic problems.
In our project, we wanted to create a yeast strain capable of efficiently producing lipid droplets using light as a driving force. In addition, we wanted to use the achievements of our 2019 team, which developed a method for yeast cell wall lysis. Efficient cell wall lysis induced after the production phase in the strain accumulating lipid droplets would ease product extraction, which results in saving time and energy and reducing the cost of the final product. Our platform strain may provide the oleochemical industry an ecologically friendly alternative to oleaginous plants, whose growth for industrial purposes results in rapid deforestation. Besides that, in the case of efficient cell wall lysis, there is no need to use organic solvents for lipid extraction.
Wide usage of such microbial cell factories would free farmlands, which have become limiting, for the growth of food crops. By providing even the smallest innovations in the field of bioproduction, we aim to encourage entrepreneurs and companies to look at sustainable alternatives in this field.
In addition to our research work, we would like to educate and inspire younger generations, to develop their eco-friendly thinking. With our workshops and social network interactions, we bring interesting and fun ways for learning and looking at the scientific world beyond textbooks and lectures.
