EBIC Early Career Researchers Present at AquaConSoil
EBIC Early Career Researchers (ECRs) Mahsa Baniasadi and Yasmin Meeda had the opportunity to present their research activities, under EBIC, at the AquaConSoil conference this June in Belgium.
AquaConSoil attracts some 600 attendees – typically scientists, policy- and decisionmakers and industry representatives who gather to learn, share and engage on sustainable use and management of soil, sediment and water resources.
Mahsa’s research involves tackling PFAS pollution with enzyme engineering – using molecular docking to guide the engineering of defluorinase enzymes for PFAS biodegradation. By enhancing enzyme-substrate interactions in silico, this approach aims to break down persistent carbon–fluorine bonds — a key step toward scalable bioremediation of these so-called “forever chemicals.”
Yasmin presented her research on engineering biology for metaldehyde* biodegradation in drinking water, specifically utilising the bacterium Sphingobium spp and Acintobacter calcoaceticus.
*Metaldehyde is a now banned pesticide which is present in UK drinking water and is a difficult compound to remove using traditional treatment methods.
A fantastic opportunity for EBIC ECR’s to showcase their work and network with others in the field!
Want to learn more about how EBIC are utilising engineering biology to help clean up the environment?
Watch our video animation here & catch up with our recent publications here