Projects and partners

Affiliations with National Growth Funds

HAN BioCentre is a partner in two major programs funded by the National Growth Fund (NGF): Cellular Agriculture Netherlands (CAN) and Biotech Booster. Within these tracks, we collaborate closely with the industry to put scientific innovations into practice. Within CAN, we focus on precision fermentation (the production of animal proteins using microorganisms) in both education and research. Within Biotech Booster, we are direct partners in the development and valorization of innovative biotechnology.

Learning community

The projects are closely linked to the School of Applied Biosciences & Chemistry and to the Biobased Innovations and Drug Discovery research groups. Together, we form a multidisciplinary learning community where the expertise available ranges from analytical chemistry and medicinal chemistry to microbiology and fermentation technology, and from biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and molecular physiology to bioinformatics and data science.

Twee mensen in gesprek op een bank met een plant ernaast, met een laptop op een kleine ronde tafel voor ze

The project involved a proof-of-concept study on the processing of cotton waste into dyes. Natural cotton fibers were converted into soluble sugars through a biotechnological process. These sugars were subsequently used as secondary raw materials to produce biological pigments for textiles.

Project period 2024-2025

Projectleader Laura Claret Fernández
In the project a fermentation process using a mix of lactic acid bacteria has been developed on lab scale to convert rejected tomatoes into a marketable and tasty product. The concept was successfully tested at pilot scale.

Project period 2024-2025

Projectleader Laura Claret Fernández
Natural dyes from fungi are a sustainable and healthier alternative to synthetic dyes. HAN BioCentre and the Biobased Innovations research group have focused on the production of blue and orange dyes produced by two different fungi as prototypes and scaled up both processes to 80 liters.

Project period 2023-2025

Projectleader HAN Laura Claret Fernández

Project coordination MNEXT (Avans)
The project focused on an economically and technically feasible, sustainable method for producing lactic acid from biomass side streams. The Biobased Innovations research group conducted research into the most efficient way to release sugars from one of the biomass waste streams by testing various enzyme blends.

Project period 2024-2025

Projectleader HAN Karin Struijs

Project coordination Nature Principles
This project focused on developing the biotechnological and chemical process to produce an alternative to leather based on mycelium.

Duration 2022 - 2023

Project leader Richèle Wind
An exploratory student project in collaboration with partner Save Plastics looked at application possibilities of the proof-of-principle study product, PBS.

Duration 2021 - 2022
Project leader Karin Struijs
This project contributed to the realization of genetic self-testing or direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) and its verification.

Duration 2020 - 2023
Project leader Peter Taschner (Hogeschool Leiden)
The objective was to establish a relationship between composition of secondary plant ingredients of different fiber hemp extracts and the health effects of these extracts.

Duration 2021 - 2023
Project leader Karin Struijs
This KIEM GoChem project created value from waste by converting methane into sustainable plastic alternatives.

Duration 2022 - 2023
Project leader Richèle Wind
The goal was to contribute to increasing the use of lignin in commercial applications.

Duration 2021 - 2022
Project leader Karin Struijs
The transition to a biobased and circular economy is increasing the need for biomass as a source of raw materials and chemicals. The cultivation of fiber hemp is therefore attracting renewed interest due to the crop's versatility.

Duration 2020 - 2022
Project leader Karin Struijs
The project focused on the identification and development of substances that prevent bites from arthropods (mosquitoes, flies and ticks) and thereby prevent the spread of so-called vector-borne diseases.

Duration 2023 - 2024
Project leader Pedro Hermkens
Weipermeate is a residual stream from the dairy industry. One of the possible ways to increase the value of the whey pulp is through fermentation towards biobased building blocks such as ethanol.

Duration 2022 - 2023
Project leader Richèle Wind