The project “Upcycling of Industrial Glycerol into Dihydroxyacetone Using Biotechnological Processes,” led by Dr. Lorena Betancor, professor of Protein Technology and a researcher at the faculty, was approved by the María Viñas Fund.
In addition, “Efficiency and Fairness in Networks with Partial Service,” led by Dr. Fernando Paganini, the school’s vice dean for research and professor of telecommunications theory, was approved by the Clemente Estable Fund.
The project led by Dr. Lorena Betancor will begin in March 2022, will last two years, and will be carried out within her research group in collaboration with researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the Complutense University of Madrid.
The goal is to achieve efficient conversion of crude glycerol (a byproduct of the biodiesel industry) to dihydroxyacetone using strains of Gluconobacter oxydans.
As Betancor explains, “the oversupply and limited demand for crude glycerol, a byproduct of the biodiesel industry, directly affect the production costs of this biofuel. Crude glycerol can be converted into higher-value-added products through purely chemical processes or through biotransformation.”
“An interesting route for the value-added processing of glycerol is its bioconversion into dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA has a market value and profit margin far exceeding that of crude glycerol. It is produced in Germany, the United States, China, India, and South America, exclusively through biotechnological processes.”
“Previous results from our research group have demonstrated the feasibility of bioconversion using resting Gluconobacter cells to convert crude or splitglycerol into dihydroxyacetone(DHA).”
This is fundamental research on networks that provide a service (power, computing, or data transfer) under conditions of limited capacity, where only partial service can be provided. We study prioritization, scheduling, and load balancing criteria under these conditions, aiming for efficient and fair use of capacity.
Dr. Paganini
“This project aims to intensify the process, optimize conversion, and scale it up using unprecedented technology that is feasible for industrial-scale implementation,” the professor concludes.
The research will last 18 months, beginning in May of this year, and will be conducted by the Applied Mathematics for Telecommunications and Energy group.