Imagine lignin as a giant, locked treasure chest found in wood waste and paper mills. Most people just burn it for heat because they can't find the key to open it. This project creates a set of chemical and biological 'keys' to unlock the chest and find rare, valuable molecules inside that can be used in medicines and creams.
High-value sectors like pharma and cosmetics struggle to find sustainable, natural bioactive ingredients. Meanwhile, lignin—a massive industrial by-product—is wasted because current processing methods destroy its valuable chemical structures.
A reproducible bioprospecting pipeline combining chemical and enzymatic methods to isolate and validate bioactive molecules from lignin.
If you are a drug developer dealing with the high cost of discovering new bioactive leads — this project developed a pipeline to isolate novel small molecules from 9 different lignin species that can be screened via 17 different bioactivity assays.
If you are a beauty brand dealing with the need for sustainable, plant-based active ingredients — this project developed a method to turn underutilised industrial by-products into high-value bioactive motifs for skin care.
If you are a fragrance house dealing with the scarcity of natural aromatic compounds — this project developed a way to unlock a 'biomass mine' of lignin to find new scent molecules without invasive harvesting.
Based on available project data, specific costs are not provided, but the project will use Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) to confirm the economic viability of the production methods.
Yes, the project aims to create a reproducible and scalable pipeline and will use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to ensure scalability and alignment with EU Green Deal goals.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project focuses on designing sustainable production pathways for at least 2 promising compounds per sector.
The project runs from 2024-01-01 to 2027-06-30, suggesting that validated compounds and production routes will be available by mid-2027.
The project treats lignin, a common by-product of pulp and paper industries, as a feedstock, turning a waste stream into a raw material for high-tech applications.
The consortium is well-balanced for a translation project, consisting of 7 partners across 6 countries. With an industry ratio of 29% (including 2 SMEs), there is a clear bridge between the 4 universities and 1 research institute and the commercial market, led by an SME coordinator (Kelada Pharmachem Limited).
Contact Kelada Pharmachem Limited in Ireland for partnership opportunities regarding lignin-derived bioactives.
Contact us to find out how to license the validated bioactive motifs from the PROSPLIGN pipeline.
