Initial PHB Production: SUCCESS!

Jun 19, 2019

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Initial PHB Production: SUCCESS! 
PHB, freshly extracted
Hello everyone! My name is Simonne and I am the head researcher at Virginia iGEM. I'm happy to write to you with an exciting update. 
The overall goal of our project is to convert Styrofoam into a biodegradable plastic (specifically PHB) with E. coli. However, before we can incorporate Styrofoam, we first wanted to confirm the ability of E. coli to produce PHB when given the genetic sequence to do so. After developing our protocols for PHB growth and extraction, we were able to see PHB being produced in the growth medium! 
 
Simonne (left) and Aarati (right) checking out their E. coli babies
 
PHB granules
Our next step is to characterize our PHB granules with analytical tools from the Chemistry Department such as NMR and gas chromatography. 
None of this would have happened without our backers. As a student-run and student-funded group, we really appreciate your support. 

Marcella, Vivian P. Páez, and 7 others like this.

2 comments

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Kevin Karplus

Where are your lab coats and gloves? Why is the Bunsen burner on?

Jun 26, 20190

Vivian P. PáezBacker

Excellent!

Jun 19, 20191

About This Project

Transforming Styrofoam waste into biodegradable plastic

University of Virginia

The primary objective of the project is to create an industrially-comparable method of producing PHA, a biodegradable plastic, from Styrofoam (polystyrene) waste. We hypothesize that a genetically modifying E. coli can convert styrene (monomerized polystyrene) to P3HB, a specific PHA, with just two plasmids. Our device will aim to reduce the 30% of plastic waste volume accounted for by polystyrene while simultaneously enabling cost-effective production of PHA.