Doctoral Candidates

My name is Beatriz Carneiro, and I am from beautiful and vibrant north of Portugal.  I possess a bachelor degree in Environmental Science and Technology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. Currently I am working as a PhD student at the University of Hamburg with a focus on identification and characterization of dye producing bacteria. The aim of this investigation consists in exploring new bacterial derived dyes via genome mining to obtain a more feasible alternative that could alter dyeing processes as well as the supply chain towards a more environmentally conscious future.

This project gave me the opportunity to combine my two fields of studies, as it has the potential to develop sustainable bacteria produced pigments, with a low carbon footprint synthesis, which is more compatible with human and environmental health. Participating in DyeAnotherWay is an exciting chance to be able to be a part and contribute to an international network to develop my soft skills, gain input and perspectives from various scientific fields, the possibility to experience academic and industrial environments, and expand my knowledge in the field of microbiology. Additionally, it will allow me to get to know other countries, their respective cultures, meet people from around the world, and enhance my language skills.

O meu nome é Beatriz Carneiro e eu sou do vibrante norte de Portugal. Eu possuo uma licenciatura em Ciências e Tecnologia do Ambiente e um mestrado em Biotecnologia. Atualmente trabalho como aluna de doutoramento na Universidade de Hamburgo e os meus estudos focam-se na identificação e caracterização de bactérias com capacidade de produzir corantes. O objetivo desta investigação consiste em explorar novos corantes derivados de bactérias através da análise genómica. De forma a obter uma alternativa mais viável que poderá alterar os processos de tingimento e a cadeia de distribuição para um futuro mais consciente segundo a perspetiva ambiental.

O tópico deste projeto deu-me a oportunidade de combinar as minhas duas vertentes de formação académica. Devido ao seu potencial para desenvolver corantes sustentáveis provenientes de bactérias, cuja produção tem um baixo impacte na pegada de carbono, o que é mais compatível com a saúde humana e ambiental. A minha participação em DyeAnotherWay é uma oportunidade incrível de contribuir para uma rede internacional de estudantes, onde existe a possibilidade para desenvolver as minhas soft skills, obter informações e perspetivas de diversas áreas científicas, experienciar o ambiente académico e industrial, e ainda expandir o meu conhecimento em Microbiologia. Adicionalmente, irá permitir-me conhecer outros países, as suas culturas, conhecer pessoas de diferentes partes do mundo, e ainda melhorar as minhas competências linguísticas.

I am Audrée Lebon, from Réunion Island, a French island in the Indian Ocean shaped by biodiversity and cultural diversity. My background is in biochemistry and molecular biology, and I am especially interested in how biological processes can be understood and developed for sustainable applications. My project at TU Wien focuses on the identification of chemical structures and metabolic pathways of novel biogenic dyes produced by bacteria. I will work on extracting pigments from selected bacterial strains, elucidating their structures, and investigating their biosynthetic origin.

What attracts me to this project is the possibility of connecting fundamental research with a concrete environmental challenge. Textile dyeing still relies heavily on synthetic dyes and processes that raise concerns for human health and the environment. I am excited to explore biogenic alternatives and to contribute to rethinking colour production and developing safer and more sustainable solutions.

I look forward to collaborating within this international and interdisciplinary network, and to contributing to a more sustainable dyeing industry.

Je suis Audrée Lebon, originaire de l’île de La Réunion, une île française de l’océan Indien marquée par sa biodiversité et sa diversité culturelle.

Mon parcours est en biochimie et en biologie moléculaire, et je m’intéresse particulièrement à la manière dont les processus biologiques peuvent être compris et développés pour des applications durables.

Mon projet à la TU Wien porte sur l’identification des structures chimiques et des voies métaboliques de nouveaux colorants biogéniques produits par des bactéries. Je travaillerai à l’extraction de pigments à partir de souches bactériennes sélectionnées, à l’élucidation de leurs structures et à l’étude de leur origine biosynthétique.

Ce qui m’attire dans ce projet est la possibilité de relier la recherche fondamentale à un défi environnemental concret. La teinture textile repose encore largement sur des colorants et des procédés synthétiques qui soulèvent des préoccupations pour la santé humaine et l’environnement. Je suis enthousiaste à l’idée d’explorer des alternatives biogéniques et de contribuer à repenser la production de couleur, ainsi qu’au développement de solutions plus sûres et plus durables.

Je me réjouis de collaborer au sein de ce réseau international et interdisciplinaire, et de contribuer à une industrie de la teinture plus durable.

My name is Natalia Kastana, I am 23 years old and I come from Athens, Greece. I completed an Integrated Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, where I specialized in Biotechnology. My master’s thesis focused on protein engineering for plastic biodegradation, a project that further shaped my interest in sustainable biotechnology.

I’m very delighted to be part of DyeAnotherWay, as the innovative idea of producing biogenic dyes from bacteria sparked my interest right from the beginning. As a doctoral candidate at TU Wien, I am contributing to the fermentation of native dye-producing microorganisms and the identification of enzymes and genes involved in the process. Through this international and collaborative project, I aim to further develop my research skills, interact with people from different backgrounds, and gain valuable experience from the industry partners.

Ονομάζομαι Ναταλία Καστανά, είμαι 23 ετών και κατάγομαι από την Αθήνα. Ολοκλήρωσα το Δίπλωμα Μηχανικού Χημικού στο Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο Αθηνών, όπου ειδικεύτηκα στη Βιοτεχνολογία. Η διπλωματική μου εργασία επικεντρώθηκε στην πρωτεϊνική μηχανική για τη βιοαποικοδόμηση πλαστικών, ένα θέμα που ενίσχυσε ακόμη περισσότερο το ενδιαφέρον μου για τη βιώσιμη βιοτεχνολογία.

Είμαι ιδιαίτερα χαρούμενη που αποτελώ μέρος του DyeAnotherWay, καθώς η καινοτόμος ιδέα παραγωγής φυσικών χρωστικών από βακτήρια κέντρισε το ενδιαφέρον μου από την πρώτη στιγμή. Ως υποψήφια διδάκτορας στο TU Wien, ασχολούμαι με τη ζύμωση φυσικών μικροοργανισμών παραγωγής χρωστικών, καθώς και με την ταυτοποίηση ενζύμων και γονιδίων που εμπλέκονται στη διαδικασία. Μέσα από αυτό το διεθνές ερευνητικό πρόγραμμα, στοχεύω να εξελίξω περαιτέρω τις ερευνητικές μου δεξιότητες, να αλληλεπιδράσω με ανθρώπους από διαφορετικά υπόβαθρα και να αποκτήσω πολύτιμη εμπειρία από τους βιομηχανικούς εταίρους του προγράμματος.

I am Javeria Ibrahim, from the beautiful country of Pakistan, a land known for its hospitality and rich culture. I am an admirer of nature and enjoy spending quality time with friends and family, engaging in activities like traveling, cooking, cinema, henna art, and photography. I am a researcher at heart, driven by curiosity and motivation to translate promising bioprocesses into scalable designs. This drive has led me to this exciting opportunity, where, together with my host institute, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, I will work on developing sustainable downstream strategies for microbial pigments; one of nature’s most vibrant creations. I am particularly drawn to this area because downstream processing plays a crucial role in the overall cost and scalability of bioprocesses, often becoming a key bottleneck. And what could be more exciting than helping bring sustainable colours to life?

Having been part of the Erasmus Mundus BIOCEB Master’s programme, I experienced first-hand how collaboration with people from around the world brings creative solutions to the table. Given the collaborative nature of this project, I look forward not only to engaging in scientific exchange with talented doctoral candidates, but also to growing as a researcher. I am excited to make a meaningful and colourful contribution to the project.

میں جویریہ ابراہیم ہوں، اور میرا تعلق پاکستان جیسے خوبصورت ملک سے ہے، ایک ایسا ملک جو اپنی مہمان نوازی اور ثقافت کے لیے جانا جاتا ہے۔ مجھے فطرت سے گہرا لگاؤ ہے اور میں اپنے فارغ وقت میں اپنے دوستوں اور گھر والوں کے ساتھ مختلف مشاغل، جیسے کہ مہندی آرٹ، سفر کرنا، پکوان بنانا، سنیما جانا اور فوٹوگرافی میں حصہ لیتی ہوں۔

میں دل سے ایک محقق ہوں، جو تجسس اور اس جذبے سے متاثر ہے کہ امید افزا بایو پروسیسز کو قابلِ عمل اور قابلِ توسیع ڈیزائنز میں تبدیل کیا جا سکے۔ یہی جذبہ مجھے اس شاندار موقع تک لایا ہے، جہاں میں اپنے میزبان ادارے بایو بیس یورپ پائلٹ پلانٹ کے ساتھ مل کر مائیکروبیل پگمنٹس کے لیے پائیدار ڈاؤن اسٹریم حکمتِ عملیوں کی ترقی پر کام کروں گی, جو فطرت کے نہایت دلکش مظاہر میں سے ایک ہیں۔

مجھے خاص طور پر اس شعبے میں دلچسپی ہے کیونکہ ڈاؤن اسٹریم پروسیسنگ بایو پروسیسز کی مجموعی لاگت اور اسکیل اپ میں اہم کردار ادا کرتی ہے اور اکثر ایک بڑی رکاوٹ بن جاتی ہے۔ اور اس سے زیادہ دلچسپ کیا ہو سکتا ہے کہ ہم پائیدار رنگوں کو حقیقت کا روپ دیں؟

ایراسمس منڈس بایوسیب ماسٹرز پروگرام کا حصہ رہتے ہوئے، میں نے خود دیکھا ہے کہ دنیا بھر کے لوگوں کے ساتھ تعاون کیسے تخلیقی حل سامنے لاتا ہے۔ اس پروجیکٹ کی اشتراکی نوعیت کو مدِنظر رکھتے ہوئے، میں نہ صرف باصلاحیت ڈاکٹریٹ امیدواروں کے ساتھ سائنسی تبادلے کی منتظر ہوں بلکہ ایک محقق کے طور پر مزید ترقی کرنے کی بھی خواہش رکھتی ہوں۔ میں اس پروجیکٹ میں ایک بامعنی اور رنگین کردار ادا کرنے کے لیے پرجوش ہوں۔