Using bioengineering, Cecilie makes enzymes more robust and efficient – and they might be the key to creating green fuels for the future.
How would you explain your research to a 10-year-old?
We’re good at making green energy, but there are days when we only use a fraction of all the renewable energy created, and we don’t yet know how to store it.
So if the remaining excess energy can be used in a process where we turn CO2 into methanol by electrifying enzymes, we could use it to power container ships like Mærsk is doing. My focus is to find the right enzymes to do so.
How do you do that?
The good thing about enzymes is that they make A into B – for instance, formaldehyde is made into methanol. There aren’t all these side processes we have to deal with.
I do protein engineering where I change the enzymes to make them more robust and better at creating catalysis. We’re very inspired by nature because in nature, mutations happen all the time as part of evolution.
With the coronavirus, it constantly mutated, and it was changes in the protein that gave the virus a better hook to survive. It’s the same principle we follow in the lab.
When I’ve found my enzymes, they’re fed by electricity. So when I turn on the power, the chemical reaction starts, and when I turn it off, nothing happens.
What has surprised you the most while working in this field?
That nature is smarter than we think. Often, it’s a good idea to take inspiration from nature and make chemistry a bit greener rather than creating something that can’t be broken down in nature.
What will the world look like in 10 years if you succeed with your research?
In 10 years, we can hopefully create new materials that we need, but in a way that’s gentler on the planet with less carbon emissions.
So we take responsibility for not destroying the climate more than we’ve already done. Hopefully, some of these things will be on the market and more attainable – that’s my biggest motivation.
What’s it like being part of CAPeX Academy?
I like that you always get new eyes on your research. People in your own research group often view the world the same way as you and have a similar degree. But here you meet people with a very different perspective who have a quirky mind in a different way than I do. That’s a breath of fresh air in how you see your research and challenges what you think can be done.
