Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica for photoautotrophic growth by integrating light-driven energy generation with synthetic CO2 fixation to enable sustainable bioproduction

Objective

The accelerating climate and energy crisis, driven by rising CO2 emissions and fossil fuel depletion, highlights the urgent need for renewable solutions. Disruptive biotechnologies are required to both mitigate greenhouse gases and enable sustainable chemical production. Conventional microbial production systems rely on sugar-based feedstocks, which face scalability and efficiency constraints. Phototrophic microbes such as cyanobacteria offer an alternative but remain limited by slow growth, low productivity, and genetic intractability. The objective of YarroSynLight is to establish Yarrowia lipolytica as a novel photoautotrophic platform organism by integrating light-driven energy generation with synthetic carbon fixation, thereby creating a carbon-negative microbial cell factory. This will be achieved through a structured work plan: building a robust phototrophic chassis, coupling energy and carbon assimilation pathways, optimising metabolic fluxes with systems-level tools, and directing assimilated carbon toward high-value biochemical production. These steps will be validated under scalable bioreactor conditions using simulated flue gas, ensuring robustness, techno-economic feasibility, and environmental relevance. The project aligns closely with the MSCA Work Programme by addressing pressing climate challenges while equipping the researcher with advanced skills in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and bioprocess development. Training, mentoring, and two-way knowledge transfer at Imperial College London will support career independence, while dissemination, outreach, and engagement with stakeholders will maximise impact. Ultimately, YarroSynLight will deliver a transformative route for solar-powered, carbon-negative biomanufacturing, contributing directly to the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.