Pioneering research from the University of Portsmouth that aims to find a solution to the global plastic pollution crisis is to share in £15.9 million of investment from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Taking enzymes from the natural environment and adapts them in the laboratory to recycle and reuse some of our most polluting plastics, the Solent LEP will use the Government's 'Getting Building Fund’ allocation to finance the expansion of the University’s Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI).
The CEI will receive £1m investment from the Solent LEP.
The CEI is one of several projects that have been funded by the Solent LEP, who play a role in determining economic priorities in the region. The projects will benefit the region's economic recovery in the post-Covid-19 pandemic environment.
The CEI Expansion - Industrial Engagement Hub project will almost double the current size of the CEI and create three new specialist laboratories, to bridge the gap between the current research capabilities and what this technology needs to develop into in order to be adopted by industry.
In addition, the Industrial Engagement Hub will be a space for interaction between researchers and industry collaborators and become a testbed for growing local and national partnerships.
Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, said: “The CEI is a unique environment for industry and academia to work together to shape, refine, develop and test the new technologies emerging from this ground-breaking research.
“The funding from the Solent LEP to support the development of the CEI will deliver significant economic and societal benefits and clearly delivers our ambitions for research with impact and sustainability as set out in our vision for 2030.”