Overview

Environmental Biotechnology focuses on the technologies and tools to enable deployment of engineered microbiomes in the land, air, water, and human landscapes for purposes related to remediation, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and species management. In contrast to other sectors – including industry and agriculture – engineered microbiomes in the environment will inevitably be interacting with natural microbiomes. Scientific aims therefore reflect a desire not only to introduce new organisms, but also to engineer and preserve existing biodiversity.

Societal Challenges

• Address and mitigate climate change.

• Expand tool sets for bioremediation and resource recycling.

• Deploy engineered organisms to improve ecosystem biodiversity, robustness/resilience, and the well-being of inhabitants.

• Enable sustainable, more environmentally-friendly materials and infrastructure development.