Universidade Católica Portuguesa and Amyris signed a Research Agreement with the Portuguese Government

A contract was signed in Silicon Valley, in the United States, in the presence of the Prime Minister António Costa. The contract makes the Alchemy research project possible, resulting from a strategic partnership between the Catholic University of Portugal, through the Faculty of Biotechnology (ESB), the company Amyris Bio Products Portugal, a subsidiary of Amyris, Inc. and the Government of Portugal, through the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP).

The Alchemy project aims to contribute to the optimization of the efficiency of the biomolecule production process and to investigate new applications for the by-products / residues resulting from this process, thus, enhancing the development of new molecules of high commercial interest, in particular for the food, cosmetic, industrial and pharmaceutical. At the same time, the project aims to promote the transfer of technology that will translate into an increased competitiveness of companies in the area of ​​bioeconomics.

This project involves about 100 researchers between the two entities, of which 60 represent new hires adding several competences namely bioengineering, microbiology and bioanalytics.

The project, whose first phase lasts 5 years, will materialize in a center of competence of excellence in biotechnology, promoting Portugal at the forefront in the areas of bioeconomics and circular economy. This project will impact and will have externalities of great importance to other companies and sectors of activity.

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