Horizon project DECADES awarded to GECCO Biotech and the consortium partners

The choice of solvents – as reaction media and for downstream processing – defines the overall sustainability of chemical transformations. So far, (bio)catalysis has traditionally relied on either aqueous- or classical organic media, or biphasic systems thereof. Selection of solvents has usually implied a case-by-case assessment for every system and step (reaction or purification), leading to several scientific and technological challenges untouched or unsolved. In this respect, Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have been coined as ‘the solvents of the 21st century’. In a nutshell, DESs’ assets are based on the often biogenic origin of the components, and their properties such as melting points below room temperature, low volatility, high thermal stability, tunable properties depending on their components, biodegradability, large availability at acceptable costs, and straightforward preparation.

Objectives:

DECADES seeks to become an inspirational lighthouse for the use of DESs as highly advantageous solvents to improve the sustainability of biotechnological processes. With a training focused on scientific excellence, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, DECADES aims for a solid employability of its PhD graduates as future technology leaders for a sustainable bioeconomy.

DEsign of CAtalytic processes with Deep-Eutectic-Solvents

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2021 I Grant no.: 101072731

Consisting of a great mixture of companies and universities DECADES has gathered a great team to work on DESs and with groundbreaking research projects. This team is the best basis DECADES could wish for, for the execution of this project which is reaching for the future of industrial biocatalysis. 

If you are curious about the individual team members check out our webpage https://www.horizondecades.eu/about 

PhD candidates: Katerina Margariti, Ariel Tijman, Marina Grgić, Katarína Kavčiaková, Chiara Falcini, Francesco Napoletano, Andrea Puglisi, Daniel Alonzo Durante Salmerón, Ivan Perković Sugijo and Johannes Zechner

Consortium: Selin Kara (University of Hanover ), Robert Kourist (Technische Universität Graz), Juan Manuel Bolivar Bolivar and Andres R. Alcántara  (Universidad Complutense de Madrid and TRANSBIOMAT Biotechnology and Applied Materials), Marco Fraaije (University of Groningen), Gonzalo de Gonzalo Calvo (Universidad de Sevilla), André Pick and Jochen Schmid (Cascat GmbH), Ana Rioz and Ton Vries (Symeres), Pablo Domínguez de María (Sustainable Momentum), Francesco Falcioni (AstraZeneca), Beatriz Dominguez and Amin Bornadel (Johnson Matthey), Ralf Zuhse (Chiracon GmbH), Giovanni Sannia (Biopox s.r.l.), Hugo van Beek (Gecco Biotech B.V.), Andreas Taden (Henkel), and Özge Tigli (Bumbuku Creatives)