Dr Aleksandra Mirończuk from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences at the University of Life Sciences in Wrocław will examine the possibilities of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica to biodegradate plastics. She received almost PLN 1.1 million from the National Science Center for her research.

Yeast will be genetically modified, artificial genes encoding enzymes that can hydrolyze plastics will be introduced to yeast cells. The combination of the natural yeast properties of Y. lipolytica with the engineering of their metabolism should enable the biodegradation of plastics.

Research can contribute to the fight against environmental contamination – I hope that we will achieve an effect in which modified yeast will exude enzymes that break down plastics, thanks to which they will build their own biomass, speaking colloquially, they will grow on these plastics – says Dr. Mirończuk.