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ELEMENTAL

ELEMENTAL

  1. University of Kent
  2. ELEMENTAL
    3. About

About

The ELEMENTAL Hub is the UK’s mission hub applying engineering biology to address pressing environmental challenges around metal waste, scarcity, and sustainable recovery.

Based at the University of Kent, the Hub brings together eight partner institutions including Durham University, University of East Anglia, University of Manchester, University of Surrey, University of York, UCL, the Natural History Museum, and Quadram Institute, supported by the BBSRC and wider UKRI funding for a five-year programme

We are pioneering environmental engineering biology to develop biologically driven solutions for metal processing in a circular economy. Our ambitious goals:

  • Remediate metal-contaminated land, waste, and industrial effluents
  • Recover critical and valuable metals using bioleaching, biosorption, biorecovery, and phytomining
  • Reduce metal usage in bioprocessing by engineering cells with precise metal uptake or sensing capabilities
  • Scale-up solutions with robust techno-economic and life-cycle assessments
Mission Hub Remit

ELEMENTAL is one of six UKRI‑funded Engineering Biology Mission Hubs, part of a broader national strategy launched in late 2023 to accelerate translational biology and circular economy solutions. We connect academia, industry, policymakers, and the public to co-develop scalable and responsible metal-bioprocessing innovations.

What We Do

We harness the full design–build–test engineering biology workflow, spanning synthetic biology, genetic engineering, biosensors, and bioprocess development, to:

  • Enhance microbial metal extraction via bioleaching
  • Engineer microbes for selective metal recovery and sequestration
  • Develop sensitive biosensors to monitor metals in real time
  • Optimize metal removal in soils or water through bioremediation and phytomining
  • Conduct scale-up studies, economic modelling, and life-cycle assessments to ensure feasibility and impact
Engineering Biology

Membership in the Hub is open and free for the duration of the award. As a member, you’ll have access to:

  • Early notifications on funding and events
  • Collaboration opportunities with leading researchers, industry players, and policymakers
  • A dynamic community driving impact in sustainable metal solutions

To join or learn more, visit our Join Us page or contact us at elementalmetalhub@kent.ac.uk.