Apply for PhD Scholarship in Fermentation of Syngas filed at Denmark Technical University 2020

Denmark Technical University DTU has founded in 1829 to develop and create value using the natural sciences and the technical sciences to benefit society, DTU is a vibrant elite technical university, recognized for its high level of international research.

A PhD position is available in the frame of the joint alliance research project “Fermentation of syngas to CO2-neutral chemicals” funded by the Technical University of Denmark. The project is in close collaboration with the Department of Biology and Biological Engineering of Chalmers University of Technology and it addresses the development of a process scheme for chemicals production from syngas (a mixture of CO2, CO and H2) with renewable electricity. The targets are reduced energy consumption and decreased waste generation accompanied with zero CO2 emissions; serving also UN Sustainability Goals 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and Goal 13 (Climate action).

Responsibilities and tasks:
The PhD student will carry out syngas fermentations and bioelectrochemical conversions primarily by mixed microbial consortia and focus on investigating the factors that affect product distribution.

The tasks will include, but not be limited to:
1- Setting-up syngas fermentation and bioelectrochemical conversion systems.
2- Cultivating and enriching mixed microbial consortia on syngas, carbon dioxide, acetate and externally added electrons (bio-cathode).
3- Investigating electron flow to final products under different operating conditions
4- Modeling syngas acetogenic fermentation and bioelectrochemical conversions by applying both kinetic and thermodynamic limitations.
5- Developing and testing new bioreactor configurations for syngas fermentation.

Note: The work will take place at the Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby campus and at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Opportunity Focus Areas:
– Biology
– Biological Engineering