Images of Research: Innovation for the global good

Waste fuelling antibiotic growth

Category: Closing the loop

Microscope images of soil bacteria that resemble little sponges

They may look like exotic sponges but they’re actually soil bacteria and could just be the answer to reducing the ten million tonnes of food and drinks wasted in the UK annually, whilst revolutionising antibiotic production. University of Strathclyde researchers in industrial biotechnology are exploring the use of food waste to produce more sustainable and less expensive medicines, making great strides towards a bio-based circular economy.

Entrant: Anna Birke , Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Copyright: Anna Birke

Funding: Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), GSK plc

Collaborators: Prof Paul A Hoskisson (supervisor), Dr Steve G Kendrew (GSK), Dr Benjamin D Huckle (GSK), Prof Iain S Hunter (2nd supervisor)