TOPIC 1

Capturing biogenic CO₂ into biobased intermediates through gas fermentation

Available from February 2027

Project description

Due to its adverse effects on our climate, the accumulation of CO2 in our atmosphere is and remains a serious challenge. Yet, where CO2 was previously considered a burden, it is now seen as a possible green resource for the synthesis of chemical intermediates and added-value compounds. This concept is known as carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and can help to reduce CO2 emissions across industries. Industrial CO2 can be abiogenic, when it comes from fossil carbon, or biogenic, in case it originates from a natural resource. Because CO2 has a rather low energy, other energy sources are required for the organism, which come in the form of CO and/or H2.  

This project will focus on producing acetic acid via gas fermentation on syngas or H2/CO2, using biogenic CO2. It will involve fundamental research to understand the workings of the organisms and the process. Based on this research, the process will be scaled to 1 L in four parallel gas fermenters at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant. The process will be further intensified by means of cell recycle and the use of elevated pressures, aiming to improve the acetic acid productivity. As a final part, the downstream processing of acetic acid will be investigated to ensure that the stream can be used as a valuable carbon source for other liquid fermentation processes. 

This project is framed within the EU-funded projects CAPTUS and FUELPHORIA, which focus on the transformation of biogenic CO2 into biochemicals and fuels in a truly renewable manner. You will get the opportunity to perform important fundamental research in the gas fermentation field and see how your research evolves into a process using state-of-the-art gas fermentation equipment in an industrial environment, with the final aim of developing an industrially relevant gas fermentation process.   

This internship takes place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), a non-profit SME that assists companies and research groups to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial implementation of their innovations. BBEPP is equipped with all process and analytical tools which allow to perform high-quality research in an industrial environment.

TOPIC 2

From lost fibres to sustainable bioplastics: upgrading industrial paper and cardboard waste streams

Available from February 2027

Project description

With an ever-increasing rise in demand for plastics, macro- and microplastics are increasingly being released into the environment. As a result, there has been a surge of interest in replacing conventional fossil-based plastics with biodegradable alternatives like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). To further enhance the sustainability of the production of these bioplastics, waste streams are targeted as a carbon source. In this respect, millions of tons of paper and cardboard waste are yearly incinerated in Flanders and the Netherlands. Yet, these unrecyclable reject streams contain over one million ton of valuable fibres that can be used in circular applications like bioplastic production.

The FibreSave project aims to upcycle these lost fibres into sustainable, biodegradable plastics.

This internship will focus on the saccharification and fermentation of true industrial paper and cardboard waste streams to produce PHA bioplastics. The specific objectives include:

Optimisation and scale-up of the saccharification process for paper and cardboard waste streams to yield kg-scale fermentable sugars with high cost-efficiency.

Development of a scalable fermentation process in state-of-the-art bioreactors, optimising key process parameters such as pH, aeration, and feed composition. Different feed strategies and fermentation modes like fed-batch and continuous will be investigated and the challenges of working with waste-derived feedstocks will be tackled.

Assessment of downstream processing (DSP) technologies to recover purified PHA materials from the microbial biomass.

This internship frames within the EU-funded FibreSave project and takes place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), a leading institution that assists companies and research groups to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial implementation of their innovations. BBEPP is equipped with advanced process and analytical tools that will facilitate high-quality research in an industrial environment, in collaboration with an experienced team of researchers and engineers.

TOPIC 3

Hybrid process development for upcycling mixed plastic waste into high-value dicarboxylic acids

Available from February 2027

Project description

The HYBRID project aims to address two major challenges: the incineration of difficult-to-recycle plastic waste, leading to CO2 emissions, and the fossil-based production of virgin plastics from long-chain dicarboxylic acid (DCA) monomers. By integrating pyrolysis, biological funnelling, fermentation, and advanced product recovery techniques, the project seeks to convert mixed plastic waste into high-value DCAs, critical for producing textile polymers, polyesters, lubricants, and plasticizers.

This internship, part of the HYBRID project, focuses on upcycling plastic waste into DCAs using a yeast-based fermentation platform. Key tasks include:

Fermentation Process Development: Investigate and optimize the fermentation behaviour of engineered strains with varying waste-derived feedstocks.

Biphasic Fermentation: Develop an advanced, multi-phase fermentation process with in situ product recovery and resource recycling.

Process Integration and Scale-Up: Transfer and evaluate the developed process at bioreactor scale and boost the process performance by in-depth optimisation. Collaborate with engineers to scale up the optimized process.

This internship at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP) offers hands-on experience in fermentation and downstream purification technologies and supports the transition to a circular bio economy. All experimental work will be performed in the industrial environment of BBEPP using state-of-the-art equipment, in cooperation with a team of experienced professionals. Your work will contribute to the Flemish-funded HYBRID project, crucial for further development and industrial scale-up.

TOPIC 4

Development of the fermentation and downstream processing to produce protein nanofibrils, a precursor for sustainable textile materials

Available from January 2027

Project description

A novel class of protein nanofibrils was discovered, showing promising properties regarding chemical and tensile durability. These nanofibrils are produced in bacterial fermentations, and protein engineering enables the introduction of new functionalities. They can be further processed to obtain an engineerable textile material, called “sporesilk”. Apart from a completely new type of textile material, this offers a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based textile materials used today.

In framework of the Flemish HiPProFib project, the objective is to develop an industrially relevant fermentation process where these nanofibrils are produced in a cost-efficient manner. Within this project, different fermentation parameters, medium compositions, feed rate strategies, and the use of second-generation feedstocks will be investigated. Following the production process, product purification is key. The first steps towards a challenging product purification will be investigated within this internship. The aim is to achieve effective purification using sustainable processing strategies and without compromising their intrinsic characteristics.

This internship will take place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, a leading institution known for bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial application. BBEPP is a state-of-the-art facility, with a wide and flexible range of modular unit operations to enable high-quality research.

TOPIC 5

Innovative industrial separation technologies for biobased organic acids

Available from January 2027

Project description

This project presents a unique opportunity to be part of pioneering research at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, tackling the challenging purification of organic acids and other important biobased platform chemicals. Solvent-impregnated resins will be explored as an innovative purification technology that offers the potential for highly selective and efficient separation of biobased chemicals. With this project, you will contribute to the development of industrial downstream processes with improved sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

The research in this project will target biobased organic acids such as acetic acid, lactic acid, and muconic acid, with applications in multiple industrial sectors. Following lab-scale developments,  the processes will be scaled to industrially relevant equipment, such as packed-bed columns, to enable continuous processing of fermentation-derived streams. Throughout the internship, you will gain expertise in industrial downstream purification technologies, including liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and ion exchange.

This internship frames within the EU-funded Flex-In-Bio project and takes place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), a leading institution that assists companies and research groups to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial implementation of their innovations. BBEPP is equipped with advanced process and analytical tools that will facilitate high-quality research in an industrial environment, in collaboration with an experienced team of researchers and engineers.

TOPIC 6

Zero-waste biorefinery in action: Microbial oil production from rapeseed meal sidestreams

Available from March 2027

Project description

The BIOVALCOR project aims to demonstrate an integrated, zero-waste biorefinery concept using rapeseed meal (RSM), a major byproduct of rapeseed oil production, as a sustainable feedstock. The overall objective is to achieve full valorization of all RSM components, including proteins, hydroxycinnamic acids, carbohydrates, lignin, and lipids, thereby significantly increasing the economic and environmental sustainability of current rapeseed-based value chains.

Within this framework, this internship focuses on the development and intensification of a flexible fermentation and downstream processing (DSP) platform for the production and recovery of microbial oils from RSM-derived side streams. Earlier identified high-performing microbial strains will be employed to convert these complex feedstocks into intracellular lipids, which can serve as renewable alternatives for oleochemical and biofuel applications. Emphasis will be placed on sustainable, scalable, and economically viable processing routes in line with Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles.

The specific objectives of this internship position include:

• Fermentation Process Development: Optimize pretreatment strategies and fermentation conditions to maximize microbial growth, lipid accumulation, and productivity using RSM-derived substrates.

• Process Intensification: Develop and evaluate intensified fermentation strategies, targeting high intracellular lipid contents and productivities above under industrially relevant conditions.

• Sustainable DSP: Design and optimize green extraction methodologies for microbial oil recovery, focusing on wet biomass processing, solvent minimization, and solvent recycling to achieve high recovery yields.

• Techno-Economic Evaluation: Contribute to techno-economic assessments to identify cost drivers, guide optimization, and ensure industrial relevance.

This internship frames within the Flemish-funded BIOVALCOR project and takes place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), a leading institution that assists companies and research groups to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial implementation of their innovations. BBEPP is equipped with advanced process and analytical tools that will facilitate high-quality research in an industrial environment, in collaboration with an experienced team of researchers and engineers.

TOPIC 7

From woody biomass to biobased pyrazine monomers: Sustainable glutamic acid fermentation and downstream processing

Available from March 2027

Project description

Within the project BIOPYRANIA, a ground-breaking approach using a new class of biobased pyrazine monomers is introduced. Incorporating pyrazine in polyesters gives unprecedented properties, including the potential for added chemical functionality and improved material characteristics. These pyrazines are synthesised from amino acids, which in their turn are produced via fermentation, answering the challenge of creating sustainable products. Attributing to their sustainability, European second-generation woody biomass is used to feed the fermentations.

Within this project, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is responsible for the translation of the lab-scale fermentation, producing glutamic acid, to a scalable process. Furthermore, downstream processing (DSP) of the produced glutamic acid needs to be implemented. As an intern, you will be involved from the start of the project, implementing the fermentation at Bio Base and developing the subsequent DSP from lab to pilot.

This internship will take place at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, a leading institution known for bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial application. BBEPP is a state-of-the-art facility, with a wide and flexible range of modular unit operations to enable high-quality research.

Requirements are:

• You are studying for a degree in bio-engineering or related (bioprocessing, chemistry, biotechnology, cell- and gene technology) for the master internship.

• Some experience with bacterial, yeast or fungal hosts is an asset

• Some relevant experience with biocatalytic processes for the production of chemicals, food ingredients or cosmetics is an asset

• The duration of your internship is at least 6 months.

We offer a dynamic, international and young working environment and a full learning experience. You are based at the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, situated in the port of Ghent in Belgium.

The internship runs for a minimum of 6 months fulltime to preferably a whole academy year fulltime.