Europe: 10 PhD positions on MSCA-DN DECADES (Design of Catalytic Processes with Deep-Eutectic-Solvents)

The DECADES (Design of Catalytic Processes with Deep-Eutectic-Solvents) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) is an interdisciplinary research training network of six universities and ten companies from six European countries. DECADES aims to develop the PhDs’ scientific expertise to produce excellent research and interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists from different fields, including biology, chemistry, and engineering. It is funded under the “Excellent Science” cluster of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

10 PhD Positions are open for application. 

(PhD01) - Leibniz University Hannover, Germany: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Biochemical characterisation of fatty acid photodecarboxylase in deep-eutectic-solvents'

(PhD02) - University of Groningen, Netherlands: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Engineering of oxidative enzymes for use in solvents'

(PhD03) - Graz University of Technology, Austria: PhD. Candidate on 'Genome engineering for improved viability in green solvents'

(PhD04) - Graz University of Technology, Austria: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Engineering for fatty acid dehydratases for bio-based chemicals in DESs'

(PhD05) - Universidad de Sevilla, Spain: (PhD05) / Ph.D. Candidate on 'Novel hydrogen-bond based DESs as catalysts in reaction cascades'

(PhD06) - Leibniz University Hannover, Germany: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Reductase-driven cofactor regeneration cascade in deep-eutectic-solvents'

(PhD07) - CASCAT GmbH, Germany: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Oligofructose synthesis in DES as substrate and new solution reagent'

(PhD08) - Complutense University of Madrid, Spain: Ph.D. Candidate on 'DESs as useful solvents in chitosan-based biorefinery'

(PhD09) - Complutense University of Madrid, Spain: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Reaction engineering for valorisation of lignin-derived phenolic monomers by continuous processing in DESs'

(PhD10) - Symeres (Location Groningen), Netherlands: Ph.D. Candidate on 'Deracemization of α-acyl amino acids catalysed by racemases under flow conditions in deep-eutectic-solvents'

The DECADES doctoral network will conduct innovative research while training 10 PhD candidates with the interdisciplinary skills, intersectoral experience and entrepreneurial mindset to implement sustainability concepts in the European Biotech Sector, making a significant contribution to achieve the GREEN DEAL objectives of European Union. DECADES will focus on solvents as central part of the sustainability of biotechnological processes.

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are biobased and biodegradable solvents that hold potential to revolutionize the chemistry of the 21st century. Aim is to apply these 'Safe and Sustainable-by-Design' solvents to increase efficiency and sustainability of industrial biocatalysis. DECADES will bring to fruition the benefits of DESs by bridging current proof-of-concept knowledge from academia to industrial applications, and by a holistic exploitation considering solvent design and application through multiple aspects (catalyst, substrate, environmental impact) and along the whole pipeline (upstream/downstream).

DECADES will greatly contribute to the transition to synthetic processes based on circular economy, by establishing biocatalytic synthesis of several value-added (bio-based) chemicals. DECADES emphasizes particularly the engineering of multi-step catalytic reactions in DESs. The scientific approach of DECADES is highly interdisciplinary and brings together biology, chemistry and process engineering to achieve significantly increased productivities and diminished waste. Commercial relevant processes will be up-scaled together with industry; for which continuous processing will be of main focus.

10 Non-academic partners ranging from high-tech SMEs to large producing companies and 6 academic institutions offer an intersectoral and interdisciplinary environment to provide 10 PhD candidates with outstanding employability profiles for the European Biotech Sector, both in academia and in industry.