Geoffrey Hunt, PhD’s Post

On Oct 16 we're kicking off what will be a series of interactive webinars from @connectgenetics. If (like me) you didn't know biotech with climate applications was already out in the field with more in the pipeline, bring your curiosity and get info you need to weigh-up whether you think biotech could contribute to the broader climate mitigation/adaptation toolkit.

🧬🌎The State of Climate Biotech 🌎🧬 I recently attended 🧠Connecting Genetics to Climate's🧠 first webinar on "The Landscape of Climate Biotech". It was so cool to hear Nazish Jeffery, Ph.D. and Paul Reginato kick off the conversation, and I am beyond excited to be a part of it all. Here are some of my takeaways: 1️⃣ Current Biotech Funding Focuses More on Human Health Initiatives The NIH does not currently fund climate change research as a health initiative, and the DOE mainly funds later-stage energy projects. This gap leaves researchers in the early stages of developing climate solutions struggling to find adequate funding. This funding gap needs to be addressed to bring these critical innovations to life! 2️⃣ More Impacted Parties Need to Join the Conversation Climate biotech solutions often involve large-scale projects that impact multiple industries—agriculture, firefighting, energy, and more. Widespread adoption of climate solutions depends on collaboration with non-scientists, especially when they will be largely responsible for rollout. 3️⃣ Techno-Economic Assessments Are Essential Many proposed climate biotech solutions will need to compete with traditional commodities and services. Disrupting an industry requires biologists to understand market dynamics and learn to compete in commodity markets. Economic viability is crucial for adoption and long-term impact. A recording of the seminar should be posted later here --> https://lnkd.in/eb8uqTHS #ClimateChange #Biotech #Innovation #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #Bioeconomy

I am happy to share the first article published as part of the development of my PhD thesis work: ‘Under Stress: Searching for Genes Involved in the Response of Abies pinsapo Boiss to Climate Change’. In it, we studied gene families involved in the response of adult individuals of this species to increased temperature and water stress, the main threats of climate change.  https://lnkd.in/dud6zerq

🌊 Unveiling the Power of Diatoms in Climate Change Mitigation 🌿 Excited to share our latest feature on groundbreaking research led by Dr. Onyou Nam and his incredible team from the Department of Biology at the University of York. In this in-depth interview, Dr. Nam discusses how their discovery of diatom proteins is unlocking the potential of oceans to reduce CO₂, offering a sustainable path forward for climate change mitigation. 🌍 This pioneering work wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of: 🎓 The Mackinder Group 🔬 Researchers from the Biology Department in York, including Jamie Blaza and Adam Dowle 🤝 Collaborators from Basel, Ben Engel and Manon Demulder A special thank you to UK Research and Innovation for funding this vital project. Together, this team is setting the stage for innovative bioengineering solutions that can enhance natural carbon sinks and transform global strategies for tackling climate change. Read the full interview to dive deeper into how diatom pyrenoid proteins could shape future policies and sustainable innovations: https://lnkd.in/e75PFKYk 💡 What do you think about leveraging biological systems like diatoms for carbon management? Let's discuss! #ClimateChange #Sustainability #CarbonSequestration #OceanScience #ResearchInnovation #Biology #EnvironmentalSolutions

As we commemorate Earth Day 🌎 today, it's crucial to recognize the intertwined relationship between climate change and human health, and how proteomics can enhance our understanding and response to these environmental challenges. Studies, such as the one by Domnauer et al. (https://lnkd.in/gP_4ZBzj), highlight the proteome's adaptability in yeast when subjected to persistent temperature shifts, a proxy for environmental stress due to climate change. This research underscores how proteins undergo structural transformations to maintain cellular function under stress, reflecting a broader potential for proteomics in tracking how organisms globally respond to climate change. By understanding protein conformation changes under different environmental stresses, proteomics can offer unique insights into developing strategies to mitigate the adverse health effects of climate change. #EarthDay #ClimateChange #Proteomics #Sustainability #HumanHealth #Biotechnology

💡 Green Algae and Bacteria Unite! 🌿🦠 The tiny world of microscopic algae and bacteria is not just a hidden realm – it’s a crucial player in #ClimateProtection. A study done by researchers from Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena in collaboration with Leibniz-HKI’s Biomolecular Chemistry team around Christian Hertweck has now unveiled a remarkable partnership between a bacterium and a green alga: They both support each other’s growth and even neutralize harmful toxins! 🤝 👉 Why does this matter? Because healthy algae are not only vital for binding carbon dioxide but also for maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Understanding these intricate interactions is key to preserving our environment amidst climate change challenges. 🔄🌱 At https://lnkd.in/eiwkN7WF you can read more about this remarkable contribution to climate science and ecosystem preservation! 🌍💚 #ClimateProtection #MicrobialPartnership #EcosystemConservation #BalanceOfTheMicroverse Balance of the Microverse

Nature’s rock cycle captures carbon from the atmosphere and stores it permanently in the ocean over thousands of years. New research shows that bioengineered bacteria can help speed up this process. Could this approach contribute to addressing climate change? Join Dr. Neil Dalvie (Research Fellow at the Synthetic Biology Hive at Harvard Medical School and the Wyss Institute, and Schmidt Science Fellow) as he shares his research on bacteria that rock! Neil will talk about why this biotechnology holds promise for addressing climate change and how ready it is for deployment. In addition, you’ll get the chance to experience a bit of the science in-person with a show-and-tell demonstration! There will also be an open discussion with attendees about risks and trade-offs to consider when developing and implementing technologies with environmental-scale impacts. This interactive dialogue is hosted by Connecting Genetics to Climate, an organization that generates and supports informed public dialogue about existing and emerging genetic-based biotechnologies that have climate applications. This program is in the Rossi Room. RSVP: https://bit.ly/3zcwyBp

🌍 Excited to dive into the latest report on biochar permanence in the #environment 🌱 This report explores determining biochar's lasting impact, drawing from comparative analyses. Understanding these nuances is crucial for effective #climatechange #mitigationstrategies. Ref papers used in this report: https://lnkd.in/ejQPhhk7 https://lnkd.in/ek2VavAX #Biochar #ClimateChange #Sustainability 🔋 Follow me for more insights: Salim LAMINE

*How resilient are food-webs to phenological perturbations arising from climate change?* 🌳->🐛->�� My latest paper with Ally Phillimore, "Buffering and phenological mismatch: A change of perspective", is out now in Global Change Biology. You can find it here: https://lnkd.in/e4cpPWzV Or, read my Twitter/X thread summarising the main findings 👇 https://lnkd.in/eqQ8s-wx