{"entity": "researcher", "timestamp": "2026-08-28T00:26:37.823Z", "family": "Kourist", "given": "Robert", "initials": "R", "orcid": "0000-0002-2853-3525", "affiliations": ["Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 14, Graz, 8010, Austria.", "Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, ACIB GmbH, Petersgasse 14/1, Graz, 8010, Austria.", "BioTechMed-Graz, Mozartgasse 12/II, Graz, 8010, Austria."], "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/57b9f0e79484429c9aa79fb474b37ef8.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/57b9f0e79484429c9aa79fb474b37ef8"}}, "publications": [{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "d7db8132743444df81d3fe07bb81247d", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/d7db8132743444df81d3fe07bb81247d.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/d7db8132743444df81d3fe07bb81247d"}}, "title": "Bioinspired Nanochitin-Based Porous Constructs for Light-Driven Whole-Cell Biotransformations.", "authors": [{"family": "Arumughan", "given": "Vishnu", "initials": "V", "orcid": "0000-0002-7753-4348", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/87b891a5cf054b7aa1dff5c24822bec7.json"}}, {"family": "Medipally", "given": "Hitesh", "initials": "H", "orcid": "0000-0002-4937-0438", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/f8daae76e22842afa104d94c4de8d477.json"}}, {"family": "Torris", "given": "Arun", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0003-4487-2604", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/95d314f8c121444194cac02221cc9bd5.json"}}, {"family": "Lev\u00e4", "given": "Tuukka", "initials": "T", "orcid": "0000-0001-8037-0367", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/fa5ec7f2dc504c10a929e12a2623fe52.json"}}, {"family": "Grimm", "given": "Hanna C", "initials": "HC", "orcid": "0000-0001-6352-0212", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e417ce30f96941fca6d2e53ee7e8b4e6.json"}}, {"family": "Tammelin", "given": "Tekla", "initials": "T", "orcid": "0000-0002-3248-1801", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/aa03111d1c91462ea6624c53729f9d5b.json"}}, {"family": "Kourist", "given": "Robert", "initials": "R", "orcid": "0000-0002-2853-3525", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/57b9f0e79484429c9aa79fb474b37ef8.json"}}, {"family": "Kontturi", "given": "Eero", "initials": "E", "orcid": "0000-0003-1690-5288", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/ec12bb5045db4a80b16b0de625ac3c88.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2025-06-00", "journal": {"title": "Adv. Mater. Weinheim", "issn": "1521-4095", "volume": "37", "issue": "22", "pages": "e2413058", "issn-l": "0935-9648"}, "abstract": "Solid-state photosynthetic cell factories (SSPCFs) are a new production concept that leverages the innate photosynthetic abilities of microbes to drive the production of valuable chemicals. It addresses practical challenges such as high energy and water demand and improper light distribution associated with suspension-based culturing; however, these systems often face significant challenges related to mass transfer. The approach focuses on overcoming these limitations by carefully engineering the microstructure of the immobilization matrix through freeze-induced assembly of nanochitin building blocks. The use of nanochitins with optimized size distribution enabled the formation of macropores with lamellar spatial organization, which significantly improves light transmittance and distribution, crucial for maximizing the efficiency of photosynthetic reactions. The biomimetic crosslinking strategy, leveraging specific interactions between polyphosphate anions and primary amine groups featured on chitin fibers, produced mechanically robust and wet-resilient cryogels that maintained their functionality under operational conditions. Various model biotransformation reactions leading to value-added chemicals are performed in chitin-based matrix. It demonstrates superior or comparable performance to existing state-of-the-art matrices and suspension-based systems. The findings suggest that chitin-based cryogel approach holds significant promise for advancing the development of solid-state photosynthetic cell factories, offering a scalable solution to improve the efficiency and productivity of light-driven biotransformation.", "doi": "10.1002/adma.202413058", "pmid": "39901454", "labels": [], "xrefs": [], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T10:59:21.951Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T10:59:22.300Z"}, {"entity": "publication", "iuid": "947611a1b0024bfd90c08a84d1e0fa25", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/947611a1b0024bfd90c08a84d1e0fa25.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/947611a1b0024bfd90c08a84d1e0fa25"}}, "title": "Towards high atom economy in whole-cell redox biocatalysis: up-scaling light-driven cyanobacterial ene-reductions in a flat panel photobioreactor.", "authors": [{"family": "Grimm", "given": "Hanna C", "initials": "HC", "orcid": "0000-0001-6352-0212", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e417ce30f96941fca6d2e53ee7e8b4e6.json"}}, {"family": "Erlsbacher", "given": "Peter", "initials": "P", "orcid": "0009-0001-3578-156X", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/91ab9077e11f484aa680632075d142b1.json"}}, {"family": "Medipally", "given": "Hitesh", "initials": "H", "orcid": "0000-0002-4937-0438", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/f8daae76e22842afa104d94c4de8d477.json"}}, {"family": "Malihan-Yap", "given": "Lenny", "initials": "L", "orcid": "0000-0003-2333-9616", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/0f14674f5bbb448590f26e180d8bc57a.json"}}, {"family": "Sovic", "given": "Lucija", "initials": "L", "orcid": "0009-0004-7218-1872", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/012355cfad0540f7816a848f8b552b1f.json"}}, {"family": "Z\u00f6hrer", "given": "Johannes", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Kosourov", "given": "Sergey N", "initials": "SN", "orcid": "0000-0003-4025-8041", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/38f5104982294ef9b261b9adf68b8140.json"}}, {"family": "Allahverdiyeva", "given": "Yagut", "initials": "Y", "orcid": "0000-0002-9262-1757", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/b36ffb220099429aa4cdd95a86f10f63.json"}}, {"family": "Paul", "given": "Caroline E", "initials": "CE", "orcid": "0000-0002-7889-9920", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/cc145a8af12c41ea98c2fdff0237a62c.json"}}, {"family": "Kourist", "given": "Robert", "initials": "R", "orcid": "0000-0002-2853-3525", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/57b9f0e79484429c9aa79fb474b37ef8.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2025-03-10", "journal": {"title": "Green Chem.", "issn": "1463-9262", "volume": "27", "issue": "11", "pages": "2907-2920", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "Light-driven biotransformations in recombinant cyanobacteria benefit from the atom-efficient regeneration of reaction equivalents like NADPH from water and light by oxygenic photosynthesis. The self-shading of photosynthetic cells throughout the reaction volume, along with the need for extended light paths, limits adequate light supply and significantly restricts the potential for upscaling. Here, we present a flat panel photobioreactor (1 cm optical path length) as a scalable system to provide efficient illumination at high cell densities. The genes of five ene-reductases from different classes were expressed in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The strains were characterised in the light-driven reduction of a set of prochiral substrates. With specific activities up to 150 U gCDW -1 under standard conditions in small-scale reactions, the recombinant strains harbouring the ene-reductases TsOYE C25G I67T and OYE3 showed the highest specific activities observed so far in photobiotransformations and were selected for the up-scale in the flat panel photobioreactor in 120 mL-scale. The strain producing OYE3 exhibited a specific activity as high as 56.1 U gCDW -1. The corresponding volumetric productivity of 1 g L-1 h-1 compares favourably to other photosynthesis-driven processes. This setup facilitated the conversion of 50 mM over approximately 8 hours to an isolated yield of 87%. The atom economy of 88% compares favourably to the use of the sacrificial co-substrates glucose and formic acid with 49% and 78%, respectively. Determination of the complete E-Factor of 203 including water reveals that the volumetric yield and water required for cultivation are crucial for the sustainability. In summary, our results point out key factors for the sustainability of light-driven whole-cell biotransformations, and provide a solid basis for future optimisation and up-scale campaigns of photosynthesis-driven bioproduction.", "doi": "10.1039/d4gc05686h", "pmid": "39850125", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC11749524"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "d4gc05686h"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T11:58:15.407Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T11:58:15.776Z"}]}