Environmental Biotechnology (EBT)

The Environmental Biotechnology group aims at developing and improving mixed culture bioprocesses for waste treatment and product formation. For this purpose, microbial ecosystems are studied at all levels ranging from molecule to full-scale bioprocesses.

The research is based on the exploration of microbial and biochemical cycling of elements in nature. We study the organisms involved in the conversions of Sulfur, Nitrogen, Phosphate and Iron compounds. These conversions are used in the development of processes for water air and gas treatment. The process engineering focus is on biofilm and gradient systems. The microbiological focus is on the development of molecular ecology approaches for studying the ecophysiology of mixed microbial cultures. A special line of research is the development of processes for production of chemicals by mixed microbial cultures.

The Environmental Biotechnology group collaborates with the Bioprocess Technology group (prof. Sef Heijnen) and the Bioseparation Technology group (prof. Luuk van der Wielen). The group is strongly involved in the research of the Delft Centre for Life Science and Technology (programme 3) and in the research and education of the Graduate Research School BSDL (sector 3).

Group Leader
prof.dr.ir. Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
Staff
dr. Gerard Muyzer (Associate Professor)
dr. Cristian Picioreanu (Assistant Professor)
dr.ir. Robbert Kleerebezem (Assistant Professor) 
prof.dr.ir. Mike S.M. Jetten (part-time)
prof.dr. J. Gijs Kuenen (emeritus professor)
prof.dr. D. Brdanovic (endowed professor)
dr.ir. Cees van Sluis (guest)

Key-words
biofilms, DGGE, DNA-microarrays, environmental microbiology, functional genomics, metabolic modelling, sulfur bacteria, system biology

Contact Information
Department of Biotechnology
Julianalaan 67
2628 BC Delft
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)15 2784169
Web: www.bt.tudelft.nl/ebt