Heightened awareness of significant global challenges including climate change, food security, pollution and biodiversity has stimulated investment in growing the global bioeconomy. The bioeconomy represents a new global model for the economy, industry and the environment through using and protecting biological resources to sustainably produce food, energy and bioproducts. The sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, materials, food and feeds from renewable feedstocks is critical to our future society and life on earth.

Industrial biotechnology and synthetic biology are recognised as key platforms for growing the global bioeconomy. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a leader in technology development and innovation. Through the Institute for Future Environments (IFE) and Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy (CAB), QUT is developing high-impact Industrial biotechnology, synthetic biology and biorefining technologies to support the growth of this industry in Australia and around the world. To achieve these objectives, QUT builds strategic global partnerships with industries, government and researchers.

Through the application of industrial biotechnology and synthetic biology we address global challenges through technological solutions. The program seeks to add value to commodity crop by-products and wastes, engineer biology for new products and to make industrial processes more efficient, productive and profitable. We develop the next generation of industrial micro-organisms and deliver research focussed on the development, scale up, demonstration and economic assessment. The development of technologies, knowledge, and capacity to increase revenue from existing agricultural, chemical and animal industries with rapid paths to market will deliver increased productivity and profitability for primary producers.