Bio Fermentation Process for High Performance Dyes Manufacturing

The dye and pigment industry is identified as one of the biggest pollutive and toxic industries. For instance, the textile dye industry is the second largest water polluter, producing 20% of the world’s wastewater using 800,000 tones of synthetic dyes annually. Many of the dyes and chemicals used have been highlighted as causing irretrievable damage to the environment, health of workers and citizens near the facilities.
Lite-1 utilizes innovative technologies like synthetic biology and biofabrication in pursuit of a novel solution. Many bacteria naturally produce colourful, non-toxic pigments. Through the lens of design, we identify and study organisms that produce the market’s desired colours. Lite-1 dyes reduce water pollution, are safe for workers as well as the ecosystem, and eliminate our dependence on nonrenewable resources. The product offers an overhaul to the dye industry to shift from one of the preeminent polluters to a regenerative and more humane industry.
This project is focused on scaling up our biomanufacturing process using precision fermentation allowing us to increase our production capacity, improve our efficiency, and reduce our per-unit production costs. These are important challenges to overcome to allow us to build and deliver our commercialization milestones.

Faculty Supervisor:

Beth Mason

Student:

Partner:

Lite-1

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

The Verschuren Centre Inc.

Program: