Fermentation Science

Challenge Aims

In the late 1890's, chemist Eduard Buchner coined the term enzyme after discovering that yeast cells expend carbon dioxide and alcohol from sugar. Modern biochemistry was created at that time, but the history of fermentation goes back thousands of years.

Basically everything awesome that we consume is fermented. Examples of fermented foods include beer, wine, bread, coffee, cheese, chocolate, kombucha, yogurt, pickles, vinegar, and more. Fermentation is one of humanity's earliest technologies, and this grant is aimed at continuing that tradition of experimentation.

Biochemistry

Fermentation by yeast and bacteria is an extensive field of experimentation. In things like beer and wine, yeast transform sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide. In other foods like chocolate and cheese, fermentation is used to create specific flavor chemicals.

Health and Medicine

Scientists have done many studies on the health benefits of fermentation science. Recently, a study showed that the human microbiome utilizes fermentation that impacts weight gain and energy homeostasis.

Energy

Lastly, there's a great opportunity for expanding knowledge of how we use fermentation to produce biofuels and alternative energy, particularly around cyanobacterias. Technological innovation around metabolic processes and scalable solutions can be done cheaply and efficiently here.

This grant is meant to encourage research in any of these areas. Fermentation is a magical process, and humans have spent the past three thousand years harnessing it. We're excited to see what new experiments can be done around controlling and utilizing microbes.

The awards are $1,000 for the 1st place project, with 2nd and 3rd place prizes to be confirmed soon.