From Waste to Resource: First EPS Recovery Course for Industry and Academia

From Waste to Resource: First EPS Recovery Course for Industry and Academia

“I like the idea to work in groups and do sample preparation in the lab using different facilities.”

From May 12–16, the first edition of the Advanced Course EPS for Resource Recovery: From Fundamentals to Application brought together professionals from industry and academia to explore cutting-edge methodologies in the field of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The course offered an in-depth look at state-of-the-art techniques for isolating, identifying, and characterizing EPS components—particularly glycans, which play a crucial role in mediating cell–cell and cell–environment interactions. Participants also gained insights into evaluating the genetic potential and regulatory mechanisms behind EPS synthesis, while bridging the gap between fundamental science and product development based on EPS properties. This inaugural edition marked a key step in fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of EPS-driven resource recovery.

“Today topics were intriguing, I’d love to know more about data analysis of NMR and FTIR results. And also an art-therapy was very in-time and helped a lot in managing stress.”

The course was organized by Jenifer Baptiste and Yvonne van Gameren of BioTech Delft, who ensured the smooth coordination of all activities and interactions throughout the week. Scientific guidance was provided by the course board, consisting of Yuemei Lin and Samarpita Roy, who curated the program to balance theoretical foundations with practical relevance. The course featured lectures and sessions led by a distinguished lineup of experts: Ji Li, Stefan de Bruin, Stephen J. Picken, and Claire Chassagne from TU Delft; Amrita Bhattacharya and Thomas Seviour from Aarhus University; and Nam Kyeun Kim from the University of Auckland. Together, they offered participants a rich and multidisciplinary perspective on EPS research and its applications in resource recovery.

“It was super informationable!”

On the final day, the course concluded with a field trip to the Kaumera Sales & Services B.V. production site in Zutphen, offering a unique look at EPS application in practice. Participants attended insightful lectures from Patrick van der Velden (Kaumera BV) and Edward van Dijk (Royal HaskoningDHV) , followed by a guided tour of the plant, showcasing how fundamental research translates into large-scale resource recovery solutions.