Academic profile:

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Biochemical engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Belgrade in 2017. Following this, I simultaneously enrolled in two Master’s programs – Biochemical engineering at the same university, and Molecular bioengineering at the Technical University of Dresden. The focus of my research has always revolved around immobilized enzymes and their various application possibilities, ranging from food production, environmental protection, pharmaceuticals, and most recently, sustainable production.

Project title: Medium and reaction engineering of enzymatic cascade for furan-dicarboxylic acid synthesis

Plastics originating from fossil fuels have long been a problem for our environment, and with the doomsday clock never closer to midnight, we need to find a way to employ renewable resources for plastic production. One possible way to do this is to use enzymes to transform sugars into valuable chemicals which will later be combined into a completely biobased polymer to replace PET.

The goal of my project is to establish an enzymatic cascade for production of 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). FDCA, along with sugar-derived ethylene glycol, can then be used to create polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a 100% biobased polymer, which could become a green alternative for everyday plastics. The reaction will be performed with enzymes immobilized onto solid carriers and placed in a rotating bed reactor. Medium engineering will focus on low water media, exploring the effect of organic and deep eutectic solvents on productivity.

This project is a collaboration between Aarhus University and the company SpinChem in Umeå, Sweden, and is part of the Horizon2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network INTERfaces.