Project properties
Title Running a miniature bioreactor for process optimization
Group Systems and Synthetic Biology
Project type thesis
Credits 36
Supervisor(s) Bhavya Sree Vadlamudi, Ivan Martin Martin
Examiner(s) Dr. Pieter Candry; Dr. Rob Smith
Contact info Robert1.smith@wur.nl
Begin date 2026/01/05
End date
Description One of our main goals in this project is the use of novel experimental and computational approaches for the optimization of stability in synthetic microbial communities.
By joining this project, you will contribute to the design, simulation, and experimental validation of synthetic microbial consortia for the production of valuable metabolites such as lactic acid and acetic acid. The project focuses on integrating advanced in silico modeling with high-throughput miniature bioreactor (pioreactor) experimentation to optimize stability of SynComs. This work will provide you with the opportunity to learn and apply several techniques and concepts relevant to modern microbial biotechnology, such as:
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Construction and characterization of synthetic microbial communities
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Operation and optimization of miniature bioreactor systems (pioreactors) under different fermentation modes (batch, fed-batch, continuous).
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Application of genome-scale metabolic modeling and dynamic simulations to predict community behavior and metabolite production.
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Integration of experimental data with computational predictions to validate and refine bioprocess models.
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Development of automated data analysis pipelines for high-throughput screening and process optimization.
Used skills Required competences for this project include: (Computational) Programming in Python. Basic knowledge of Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) systems. Constraint based modelling of metabolism (such as what is seen in Metabolic Engineering of Industrial Microorganisms - MEIM, BPE34306) is highly recommended.
Requirements (Experimental) Experience with basic microbiology techniques, affinity to learn chemical analytical methods.