Seeking ways to help our planet and find alternatives to single-use plastics, Dr. Richard Chandra is working with two TWU biology majors, Jabin Zuidhof and Kristin Korten on research to develop renewable materials from fungi.
The team is harnessing fungi's unique ability to consume and convert agricultural and wood waste into renewable materials—materials that could potentially replace plastics and other non-renewable and non-biodegradable products.
Sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics
Can fungi play a major role in meeting our needs for renewable, biodegradable materials?
Millions of tonnes of single-use plastics such as those used in packaging, bags, bottles and straws are discarded into our environment on an annual basis. Since these plastics are typically made from petroleum fossil based-fuels, they are non-biodegradable and non-renewable, and we can expect these materials to stick around on our planet for hundreds of years.
It is no wonder that Dr. Richard Chandra and his team of researchers at TWU are working quickly. They are part of a global race to develop sustainable biodegradable materials for our planet.
Dr. Chandra, who is TWU's associate provost of research, explains the urgency, “It is obvious that we need to do a better job. As, due to greenhouse gas emissions and the accumulation of non-biodegradable materials such as plastics that are produced from petroleum, the human race is literally ‘in a race’ to secure renewable chemicals, materials, and energy.”
“As a result,” he continues, “global research and development in the area of renewable materials and energy has grown at a frenetic pace.”
“[working on] replacing harmful materials often used today with materials that are both sustainable and renewable. . .provides an opportunity to effect positive change in the world.”
Motivated to benefit the planet
Kristin Korten is assisting with Dr. Chandra’s research. As a student researcher, Korten is motivated by the project’s potential benefit for the future of the planet.
Speaking of the need for research and development into renewable energy sources, she says, “Those steps have to be taken by someone, and that's where we come in.”
“Because my work with Dr. Chandra is so focused on replacing harmful materials often used today with materials that are both sustainable and renewable, this provides an opportunity to effect positive change in the world.”
This direction aligns with Korten’s aspirations. Having completed her honours degree in biology this spring, she shares, “My ultimate goal in life is to be able to make a positive impact on the world through research.”
“Plastics are such a problem to our environment and by using natural sources to create renewable materials, we can find a solution for this problem."
Looking for solutions to global environmental issues
Joining Korten in the research lab is fellow biology major Jabin Zuidhof, who is similarly motivated to discover new ways to address a major global challenge.
“I am excited about doing this research because it takes an environmental issue and looks at finding a solution for it from a new perspective,” he begins.
“Plastics are such a problem to our environment and by using natural sources to create renewable materials, we can find a solution for this problem.”
Turning wood waste into useable materials
The team is working to use fungi to convert agricultural and wood waste into renewable materials—materials that could potentially replace plastics and other non-renewable and non-biodegradable products.
Wood waste, along with agricultural residues, which are non-edible portions of agricultural crops that are typically left on the field, contain a reservoir of renewable chemicals. These chemicals include cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. These substances can be used as a source of renewable chemical building blocks to produce new bio-based “plastic-like” products.
“As a student researcher I have the opportunity to learn while also helping to create something new in an environment that fosters growth.”
Advancing Canada's development of renewable materials and energy
Scientists refer to this reservoir of renewable chemicals as lignocellulosic biomass. And the good news is that Canada has a plentiful supply. This means that Canada is positioned to be a leader in the development of renewable materials and energy.
There is a catch, however. A major obstacle is the requirement for energy- and chemical-intensive treatments of biomass to achieve the separation and recovery of the cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose components to enable their utilization.
That's where fungi can be used as a solution. "One way to circumvent this obstacle," Dr. Chandra shares, "is to harness the ability of fungi that we commonly know as mushrooms, including Shitake, Reishi, and Turkey tail, to grow directly on biomass and consume the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin to produce renewable biodegradable materials from the resulting fungal mycelium, that is, the vegetative part of fungi that typically grows underground.”
". . .with just a little bit of innovation, humans have the potential to reimagine how we use the materials we have and how we make them.”
Expanding possibilities to custom-build renewable materials
More specifically, Dr. Chandra is investigating how the chemical and physical characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass influence how each fungus grows to produce these mycelium materials. Ultimately, by using this information, Dr. Chandra hopes to “custom build” these fungal mycelium-based materials to maximize the potential of these renewable, biodegradable materials to replace non-renewable, non-biodegradable plastics.
He and his team express that they are very excited to be part of the growing research and teaching activity on sustainability at TWU.
Providing students with research opportunities
TWU seeks to provide students with mentored learning opportunities in research. Both Korten and Zuidhof are working within Dr. Chandra’s Myco-valorization lab, which has been awarded the Murdock College Research Program for Natural Sciences - Life Sciences grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, a Trinity Western University Provost Grant, and most recently, a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).
Zuidhof, who is among this year's TWU Undergraduate Student Research Awards recipients, speaks to some of the benefits of conducting research at Trinity Western:
“As a student researcher I have the opportunity to learn while also helping to create something new in an environment that fosters growth. Guidance from a professor who has been researching this subject for many years allows me to develop lab and problem-solving skills that I will use for the rest of my life.”
Korten has experience working with Biology professor Karen Steensma on researching fungi and its potential uses for the agricultural sector. She is inspired by the ways science is discovering new renewable materials:
“It has been eye-opening seeing how the uses of fungi can be applied to so many more areas including construction, packaging, and more. I have come to appreciate how versatile fungi are and how, with just a little bit of innovation, humans have the potential to reimagine how we use the materials we have and how we make them.”
See also: TWU announces winners of the 2024 student research awards
About Research at TWU
At TWU, faculty mentor undergraduate and graduate students through a holistic approach that integrates faith with discipline specialization, research, internships, and skills training. Learn more at Research at TWU.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.