Moving engineering biology out of the laboratory and into the real world
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, and in collaboration with the UKRI Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC), the EngBio4Env Doctoral Focal Award will train 52 PhD students to drive transformative environmental change.
Why EngBio4Env – Why Now?
Engineering biology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, yet many breakthroughs remain confined to the lab due to a lack of interdisciplinary systems-thinking researchers. With the UK facing a projected 40% skills gap in areas like bioprocessing and microbial engineering by 2030, the challenge is urgent: how do we turn innovation into scalable, field-ready solutions?
EngBio4Env researchers are the answer: they will bridge the gap between cutting-edge molecular science and practical environmental deployment.
A Systems-Level Approach to Training in Engineering Biology
The EngBio4Env training programme is designed to revolutionise how we tackle urgent environmental challenges through engineering biology. Unlike existing training programmes that focus on isolated disciplines or single-ecosystem approaches, EngBio4Env takes a systems-level perspective, equipping PhD researchers with an interdisciplinary skillset that combines synthetic biology, AI-driven environmental modelling, systems biology, engineering, techno-economic analysis, and policy engagement.
Our PhD projects are co-designed, co-delivered, and co-funded with over25 industry and government partners. EngBio4Env graduates will be instrumental in delivering practical solutions for pollution remediation, resource recovery, environmental monitoring, and biosecurity, while strengthening the UK’s leadership in engineering biology.