Hi everyone!!
I would like to introduce part of my PhD research project, which places the Pios at its core. I would be grateful for any feedback you may have.
I currently work in the fermentation industry, primarily in beverage development, and I am in the first year of my PhD. (My research focuses on metabolites that contribute to hedonic qualities such as flavor and aroma). However, I expect that the outcomes of this work could be relevant for other sectors as well.
The central idea of the project is to explore stoichiometric relationships in fermentation, with the aim of developing predictive models supported by Pioreactor experiments. In simplified terms, the working assumption is that a given amount of glucose will result in a proportional amount of a specific metabolite. This fermentation product would effectively serve as a metabolic “fingerprint” of the strain under investigation.
For example, when characterizing a Lactobacillus strain, I would focus on lactic acid production, while in the case of Saccharomyces, COâ‚‚ release would be the primary target. The goal is to correlate metabolite production profiles with microbial growth curves, starting with strain characterization in the Pioreactor. The workflow would involve conducting a series of microfermentations (in triplicate), systematically varying one parameter at a time. The resulting dataset would then undergo statistical analysis. At each stage, the target metabolite would be quantified(typically via spectrophotometry) at both the beginning and end of fermentation.
After approximately one year of work on single strains, the project would advance toward studying microbial consortia, which better reflect the complexity of industrial fermentation.
Of course, I am aware of the major challenges involved, including quorum sensing dynamics and the difficulty of correlating metabolite production when multiple strains contribute to the same compound. Nevertheless, these challenges also provide an opportunity for generating valuable insights over the course of the PhD.
One long-term objective is to develop either a plugin or a collaborative platform that would allow others to contribute to strain characterization once the protocol is validated, or to make use of an open strain inventory. In parallel, I am drafting a practical manual for industrial fermented beverages, focusing on applications of the Pioreactor. In my current workplace, the device has proven useful for evaluating filtration methods, testing new strains, and studying substrate effects on CO₂ production → especially relevant for processes involving natural carbonation (Witch we do hehehe).
Have an awesome one!!!
PD: I have also created a campaign where you can learn more about the project (and support it if you wish).