Welcome to the BMBF-funded junior research group Biophotovoltaics.
The research group is funded via the BMBF junior research group funding through the thematic call "Creative young researchers for the bioeconomy". The research group focuses on the biohybrid technique called Biophotovoltaics (BPV) for sustainable energy production from sunlight and water, using interdisciplinary research approach integrating synthetic biology, systems biology, bio- and electrochemical-process engineering and modelling. We are interested in the fundamental, quantitative and holistic understandings of extracellular electron transfer pathway on molecular levels and its corresponding biochemistry and microbial physiology, and subsequently the rational design and development of novel process concepts for optimized desired purpose.
We are always welcome talent, self-motivated and passionate young scientist to join our group. Master and bachelor thesis projects are always available. If you are interested in our work, please contact bin.lai@ufz.de.
Head
Postdoc:
Project: membrane redox protein for extracellular electron transfer of Synechocystis in Biophotovoltaics (BMBF, from 03.2023)
PhDs:
Thesis: Engineering the membrane transportation system of Synechocystis sp 6803 in Biophotovoltaics (BMBF, from 11.2023)
Thesis: Process modelling and computational-guided system development of Biophotovoltaics (BMBF, from 10.2023)
Thesis: process engineering and system development of Biophotovoltaics (BMBF, from 09.2023)
Thesis: electro-microbiology of Synechocystis in Biophotovoltaics (BMBF, from 03.2023)
Jianqi Yuan (jointly with SBT group)
Thesis: Electron balance analysis of Synechocystis in Biophotovoltaics (CSC, from 09.2021)
Laura Pause (jointly with SBT group)
Thesis: Tunable electro-fermentation using metabolically engineered Pseudomonas putida (DFG SPP2240, from 06.2021)
Hans Schneider (jointly with SBT group)
Thesis: Extracellular electron transfer pathway and microbial phenotype of Synechocystis in Biophotovoltaics (UFZ central budget, from 12.2020)
Technicians
Ragini Gabhrani
Masters
Hannah Schön (TU Dresden; Project: defining the system boundary of Biophotovoltaics by genome-scale modelling, from 04.2024)
Alumnae:
2022.06 - 2024.07: Maria Veit (Uni Leipzig, Bachelor thesis + HIWIs)
2023.02 - 2023.04: Liuyan Gu (PhD student at DTU, Denmark)
2023.07
Funding Agency: Chinesisch-Deutsches Zentrum für Wissenschaftsförderung;
Grant number: GT 1725;
Budget: 2245 €
PI: Dr. Bin Lai
2022.08 - 2027.07
Funding Agency: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF);
Grant number: 031B1273 (BioPV4H2: biophotovoltaics for biohydrogen production from water, carbon dioxide and sunlight)
Budget: 2.910.350,31 €
PI: Dr. Bin Lai
Index:
You could use our publication index for further requests.
2024 (4)
- Lai, B. (2024):
Burning questions: Exploring the limits of microbial electrochemical technology for industrial biotechnological applications
Microb. Biotechnol. 17 (1), e14370 10.1111/1751-7915.14370 - Pause, L., Weimer, A., Wirth, N.T., Nguyen, A.V., Lenz, C., Kohlstedt, M., Wittmann, C., Nikel, P.I., Lai, B., Krömer, J.O. (2024):
Anaerobic glucose uptake in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 in a bioelectrochemical system
Microb. Biotechnol. 17 (1), e14375 10.1111/1751-7915.14375 - Reilly-Schott, V., Gaibler, J., Bai, Y., Mier-Jimenez, A., Qasim, M., Lai, B. (2024):
Electron leaks in biophotovoltaics: A multi-disciplinary perspective
ChemCatChem 16 (18), e202400639 10.1002/cctc.202400639 - Weimer, A., Pause, L., Ries, F., Kohlstedt, M., Adrian, L., Krömer, J., Lai, B., Wittmann, C. (2024):
Systems biology of electrogenic Pseudomonas putida - multi-omics insights and metabolic engineering for enhanced 2-ketogluconate production
Microb. Cell. Fact. 23 , art. 246 10.1186/s12934-024-02509-8
2023 (6)
- Gu, L., Xiao, X., Lee, S.Y., Lai, B., Solem, C. (2023):
Superior anodic electro-fermentation by enhancing capacity for extracellular electron transfer
Bioresour. Technol. 389 , art. 129813 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129813 - Lai, B. (2023):
Biophotovoltaik: mikrobielle Wasserstoffproduktion
Biospektrum 29 (1), 97 - 98 10.1007/s12268-023-1873-3 - Lai, B., Krömer, J., Aulenta, F., Wu, H., Nikel, P.I. (2023):
Exploiting synergies between microbial electrochemical technologies and synthetic biology
Microb. Biotechnol. 16 (3), 485 - 488 10.1111/1751-7915.14208 - Schneider, H., Lai, B., Krömer, J. (2023):
Interference of electron transfer chain inhibitors in bioelectrochemical systems
Electrochem. Commun. 152 , art. 107527 10.1016/j.elecom.2023.107527 - Schneider, H., Lai, B., Krömer, J. (2023):
Utilizing cyanobacteria in biophotovoltaics: An emerging field in bioelectrochemistry
In: Bühler, K., Lindberg, P. (eds.)
Cyanobacteria in biotechnology. Applications and quantitative perspectives
Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 183
Springer Nature, p. 281 - 302 10.1007/10_2022_212 - Wang, M., Ji, Q., Lai, B., Liu, Y., Mei, K. (2023):
Structure-function and engineering of plant UDP-glycosyltransferase
Comp. Struct. Biotechnol. J. 21 , 5358 - 5371 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.10.046
2022 (2)
- Gemünde, A., Lai, B., Pause, L., Krömer, J., Holtmann, D. (2022):
Redox mediators in microbial electrochemical systems
ChemElectroChem 9 (13), e202200216 10.1002/celc.202200216 - Lai, B., Glaven, S., Song, H. (2022):
Editorial: Electrobiotechnology towards sustainable bioeconomy: Fundamental, optimization and applications
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 10 , art. 901072 10.3389/fbioe.2022.901072
2021 (3)
- Lai, B., Schneider, H., Tschörtner, J., Schmid, A., Krömer, J.O. (2021):
Technical-scale biophotovoltaics for long-term photo-current generation from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803
Biotechnol. Bioeng. 118 (7), 2637 - 2648 10.1002/bit.27784 - Lai, B., Schneider, H., Tschörtner, J., Schmid, A., Krömer, J.O. (2021):
Inside front cover image, Volume 118, Number 7, July 2021
Biotechnol. Bioeng. 118 (7), ii - ii 10.1002/bit.27411 - Nguyen, A.V., Lai, B., Adrian, L., Krömer, J.O. (2021):
The anoxic electrode-driven fructose catabolism of Pseudomonas putida KT2440
Microb. Biotechnol. 14 (4), 1784 - 1796 10.1111/1751-7915.13862
2020 (3)
- Kadier, A., Jain, P., Lai, B., Kalil, M.S., Kondaveeti, S., Alabbosh, K.F.S., Abu-Reesh, I.M., Mohanakrishna, G. (2020):
Biorefinery perspectives of microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) for hydrogen and valuable chemicals production through wastewater treatment
Biofuel Res. J. 25 , 1128 - 1142 10.18331/BRJ2020.7.1.5 - Lai, B., Bernhardt, P.V., Krömer, J.O. (2020):
Cytochrome c reductase is a key enzyme involved in the extracellular electron transfer pathway towards transition metal complexes in Pseudomonas putida
ChemSusChem 13 (19), 5308 - 5317 10.1002/cssc.202001645 - Lai, B., Krömer, J.O. (2020):
Steering redox metabolism in Pseudomonas putida with microbial electrochemical technologies
In: Tiquia-Arashiro, S.M., Pant, D. (eds.)
Microbial Electrochemical Technologies
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, p. 59 - 75 10.1201/9780429487118
2019 (3)
- Cui, Y., Lai, B., Tang, X. (2019):
Microbial fuel cell-based biosensors
Biosensors 9 (3), art. 92 10.3390/bios9030092 - Lai, B., Nguyen, A.V., Krömer, J.O. (2019):
Characterizing the anoxic phenotype of Pseudomonas putida using a bioelectrochemical system
Methods Protoc. 2 (2), art. 26 10.3390/mps2020026 - Tschörtner, J., Lai, B., Krömer, J.O. (2019):
Biophotovoltaics: green power generation from sunlight and water
Front. Microbiol. 10 , art. 866 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00866
2018 (2)
- Kracke, F., Lai, B., Yu, S., Krömer, J.O. (2018):
Balancing cellular redox metabolism in microbial electrosynthesis and electro fermentation – A chance for metabolic engineering
Metab. Eng. 45 , 109 - 120 10.1016/j.ymben.2017.12.003 - Yu, S., Lai, B., Plan, M.R., Hodson, M.P., Lestari, E.A., Song, H., Krömer, J.O. (2018):
Improved performance of Pseudomonas putida in a bioelectrochemical system through overexpression of periplasmic glucose dehydrogenase
Biotechnol. Bioeng. 115 (1), 145 - 155 10.1002/bit.26433
