Project Objective
The primary objective of this internship project is to optimize the production of the blue fungal pigment via fermentation. This involves identifying optimal cultivation parameters, and comparison of the yield and productivity by using different growth substrates. The blue pigment from the optimized fermentation can be used by project partners for application work.
Project Description
- Literature Review and Theoretical Background:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of existing research on fungal colorant production, focusing on the blue-producing fungal speices MNEXT has.
- Understand the biochemical pathways involved in the synthesis of the blue colorant.
- Experimental Design and Preparation:
- Develop a detailed experimental plan to test various growth media and conditions for optimal fungal pigment production.
- Set up a Design of Experiments to find optimal conditions
- Prepare laboratory setups, including liquid media cultures, to grow the fungi strain in different scales: shaker flask and bioreactors (if possible).
- Optimization of Growth and colour production Conditions:
- Build upon current developed process. Further optimize growth and colour production including cost minimisation. Set up fermentations like fed-batch to develop a process that can be scaled-up from lab to pilot.
- Monitor growth parameters such as pH, temperature, nutrient concentrations, biomass and colour production.
- Data Collection and Analysis:
- Collect and analyze data from the experiments to identify trends and correlations between growth conditions and pigment production.
- Use statistical tools to optimize and validate experimental results.
- Reporting and Documentation:
- Document experimental procedures, results, and analyses in a detailed project report.
- Prepare presentations and reports for project stakeholders, including potential industrial partners and academic advisors.
- Recommendations and Future Research:
- Provide recommendations for scaling up the production of the blue colorant based on experimental findings.
- Suggest future research directions to further optimize and commercialize the fermentation process.
Expected Outcomes
- Identification of optimal growth, colour production and media compositions for maximum pigment/colored biomass production.
- Enhanced understanding of the relationship between culture conditions and pigment purity and yield.
- Comprehensive project report with recommendations for industrial application and future research.
Skills and Competencies Gained
- Hands-on experience with fungal cultivation techniques.
- Analytical skills in optimizing fermentation processes and media composition.
- Experience in data analysis, reporting, and project management.
Starting Date & Compensation
September 2025. The length of the internship graduation assignment is approximately 20-30 weeks, depending on the scope and depth of the research conducted. The student will get an internship fee of €350, – per month.
Mentorship and Guidance
The intern will be supervised by experienced researchers and professionals in biotechnology and microbiology (MNEXT-Smart Fermentation, Jasper Meijer), with regular progress reviews and support to ensure the successful completion of project objectives.