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Frederik Vig Benfeldt

Title

PhD Student, PhD. student

Primary affiliation

Frederik Vig Benfeldt

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Email address

Profile

I am a Ph.D candidate in Enzyme Engineering at Aarhus University, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering where I focus on biocatalysis for sustainable chemistry.

During my undergraduate years as a diploma engineer in Biotechnology, I specialized in bioprocesses and biochemistry, which led to my growing fascination for enzymes and biotransformation principles. This culminated in my bachelor’s thesis regarding immobilization of Fatty Acid Photodecarboxylase for production of drop-in biofuels derived from waste plant oils. During my graduate years, I further specialized in biocatalysis, completing my master’s degree by characterization of the novel Ferulic Acid Decarboxylase for its role in sustainable chemical production and prospects in synthetic carbon fixation.

Currently, my Ph.D endeavors targets plastic recycling, employing Cytochrome P450 (CYP153) enzymes for converting recycled medium-length alkanes into renewable plastic polymers. This multifaceted project encompasses:

  • Screening of CYP153 orthologs for alkane hydroxylation and oxidation to α, ω-diols and diacids.
  • Protein engineering via rational design and machine learning to enhance enzyme specificity and productivity.
  • Scale-up and process optimization in bioreactors for scalable bioconversion.

I am passionate about developing strategies for a greener chemical industry, aiming for lower carbon emissions, enhanced resource efficiency, less waste, and the elimination of hazardous chemicals.