Editorial Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology www.ceb.cam.ac.uk Michaelmas 2018 Issue 25 MPhil in Biotechnology welcomes first Student Cohort CONTENTS Message from HoD, Professor John Dennis n The Department has appointed a new University Lecturer to research in the area of Brewing and Distilling Sciences, from 1 September, 2018. I am pleased to announce that the post has been awarded to Dr Katherine Smart, who has a distinguished record of research in a range of areas related to yeast cell biology, fermentation sciences, brewing and distilling sciences, raw material supply chains, lignocellulosic conversion to biofuels and biorefining. Katherine has a PhD in Fermentation and Brewing Science, a DSc in Brewing and Distilling Sciences and an LLD, is a Fellow of three learned societies. She is also a Professor of the University of Nottingham and the current President of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. She was Head of the School of Biosciences and the SABMiller Professor of Brewing Sciences at the University of Nottingham until 2012. She then joined SABMiller PLC as Global Chief Brewer and has subsequently held senior executive and Vice President roles in supply chain in SABMiller and ABInBev, respectively. We expect that she will also play a key role in widening the scope of the Master’s Programme in Bioscience Enterprise and in developing new courses of the same type. Finally, I am would like to record the award of Personal Readerships to Mick Mantle, Laura Torrente and David Fairén-Jiménez in the 2017/18 Senior Academic Promotions round. This is a strong testament to the abilities of these researchers, so that we look forward to good things from them in the future. 9 Editorial.................................................... 3 Front cover article .................................... 4 Undergraduate Focus .............................. 6 Graduate Hub .......................................... 9 Sensors rule the Word Teaching Matters ....................................11 11 Research Highlights .............................. 12 Biotech Matters...................................... 14 Research Impact ................................... 15 CEB Innovation...................................... Undergraduates 17 onto pastures new Industry Business .................................. 18 25 Achievements ........................................ 19 Alumni Corner........................................ 21 Department Events ................................ 23 CEB Women .......................................... 25 Staff Room ............................................. 26 Celebrating Women in STEM at CEB Teatime Teaser ...................................... 27 2 | www.ceb.cam.ac.uk EDITORIAL Editorial Note n CEB Focus Newsletter is a project led by Marketing Assistant Elena Gonzalez with the help of department students and researchers. Each member is fully committed to the project and the timely production, publication and delivery of each issue. Individual input, team effort and the contribution of enthusiastic ideas are all equally hugely valuable. This input helps improve the quality of the editorial content and the publication look. These efforts are crucial to the editing and production process. Following the splendid summer break, the CEB Editorial Team is back with the latest department news and developments. We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome the new undergraduate and postgraduate student cohort at CEB and wish everyone a great Editorial Team: PhD students Gemma Siddall, Sina Schack and undergraduates Isabella (Izzy) Bentley start to the academic year. (CUCES Undergraduate Publicity Rep) and Bahumi Motlhanka with Elena Gonzalez (middle) The Main Article focuses on the newly launched MPhil in Dr Fruk talks about “Science and Power of ACE Education with the Biotechnology and the arrival of the Science Fiction of Bioengineering” success story of alumnus Wassim first student cohort. Undergraduate in her Biotech Matters column. In Aouad and useful career tips and Focus shares undergraduate Research Impact, Louise Renwick, valuable insights from Deborah student accounts of summer (Communication and External Affairs Grubbe after 40 years in Chemical internship experiences, Design Executive at Cambridge Centre for Engineering. The Department Project Winners and undergraduate Advanced Research and Education Events section includes a review student prizes. in Singapore) elaborates on CARES of IChemE Conference hosted Teaching Matters discusses the search for efficient, low-emission at CEB on 26 September and undergraduate end-of-year survey fuels in collaboration with CEB. CEB academic contribution the Alumni Festival programme as results and CEB being ranked CEB Innovation features the latest well as a list of upcoming events number 1 again for Chemical collaboration between CEB and i.e. Cambridge TV workshop and Engineering. Teraview on accurate automotive ACTC conference. Finally, Staff paint thickness measurement. Research Highlights lists the Room tells of PostDocs going onto Amongst the long series of recent latest articles published by CEB pastures new academics and latest and most notable Achievements researchers in high impact factor staff movements. journals as well as the latest are: Professor Silvana Cardoso research progress made in key being elected to the International As always, special thanks go to areas: the work on low-cost plastic Advisory Panel of Chemical Webmaster Vanessa Blake for sensors to monitor a range of Engineering Science, the regularly providing photos, and to health conditions, studies into soot readerships awarded to Drs Mick departmental members, alumni formation and how to reduce it for Mantle, Laura Torrente and David and corporate partners for their climate change and human health Fairen (the latter also received article contributions. Also, we are and the Algal biophotovoltaic 2018 SRUK Emerging Talent always looking for more Editors to (BPV) device for generation of Award) and alumnus Darrin Disley join our dynamic Team, so if you bioelectricity clinical trials and awarded OBE for his services to are interested and would like to therapeutic rationale for drug business, enterprise and health. know more about the role, please email us on [email protected] repurposing in schizophrenia. Alumni Corner features the Michaelmas 2018 Issue 25 3 FRONT COVER ARTICLE CEB welcomes first MPhil in Biotechnology Student Cohort Elena Gonzalez Project and the Team Research Project (where the entire class works as a team to address a problem n The newly launched MPhil in Biotechnology proposed by industry); welcomes its very first intake of international students who were selected through a highly competitive and • a transferable skills module covering career skills rigorous application process. and professional skills all the way from the lab bench to the market. This programme puts together world-leading academics and industry champions to deliver an in- Students will be taught through lectures, small group depth multidisciplinary curriculum. It has its emphasis teaching, training workshops, practical classes (both on bringing analytical skills from engineering, physics, laboratory and computational) and research elements. mathematics and computer sciences backgrounds They will be based at CEB but attend courses and have into the biological sciences in response to major talent the chance to do their research at other departments needs in the biotechnology sector. within the University. Other participating departments are Engineering, Biochemistry, Applied Mathematics The aim of the programme is to provide students with and Plant Sciences. training on state-of-the-art biotechnology in theory and practice and produce cross-interdisciplinary graduates, The key industrial partners and supporters of the MPhil who will go on to be future science leaders – high- in Biotechnology at CEB are Medimmune, Synthace, profile researchers, team leaders and/or scientific AstraZeneca, and Glaxo Smith Kline. entrepreneurs and innovators – either in academic or Dr Gabi Kaminski Schierle, the Programme Director, business settings. commented: “The MPhil in Biotechnology programme The programme contains the following elements: is a new exciting opportunity in which world-leading scientists are brought together to deliver a one- • a foundational course on principles of biotechnology; year MPhil degree, which combines an in-depth • a practical module covering both experimental and multidisciplinary scientific programme”. computer-based techniques in biotechnology; The first student intake is a very strong group of • six elective advanced modules selected from a list 7 students (6 male, 1 female) coming from UK, of post-graduate courses on offer across different US, Iceland, France, Germany, India and China. departments at the University; Their background is mainly in Engineering but also Chemistry for a few. Most of them have just finished • two research projects: the Individual Research 4 | www.ceb.cam.ac.uk FRONT COVER ARTICLEEditorial Very first MPhil in Biotechnology student cohort (Class of 2018-19) with Course Director Dr Gabi Kaminski and Course Co-ordinator Raquel Costa. their studies or had short experiences working in with over 30 competent and dedicated faculty industry (1-2 years); there is also a PhD student in the members at CEB will contribute significantly in group. The 2018-19 Class includes a Gates Scholar, moulding my potential to obtain my career objectives. a Newton Trust