As a PhD student, I search for novel plastic degrading enzymes and optimize Pseudomonas putida as an optimal cell factory for these enzymes.

More information about Jo-Anne Verschoor

Research

A lot of plastics cannot be recycled efficiently urging for the development of efficient, sustainable and economically feasible recycling methods. Enzymatic degradation shows to be a promising approach for the recycling of synthetic polymers. However, these enzymes need to be found, identified, optimized and produced to make large scale plastic degradation possible. My PhD project focusses on the identification and optimization of these enzymes and additionally on the optimization of Pseudomonas putida S12 as a cell factory for the production of these enzymes.

Brief biography

I studied a bachelor in biology at Leiden University (2015-2018) focused on molecular biology and microbiology. During my bachelor, I was chosen for the Students of the US institutes, leaders of Europe program focused on Environmental issues at the University of Oregon. After my bachelor, I followed by the master's molecular genetics and biotechnology also in Leiden (2018-2020). In my final research project, I started focusing on plastic degradation by bacteria. Luckily, I could continue my search to novel plastic degrading enzymes as a PhD student under Prof. J.H. de Winde and Dr A. Ram.