With everything operating online this year, BioT has virtually connected with many local breweries such as Category 12, Granville Island Brewing, and Howe Sound Brewing. BioT has found a way to communicate with the whole team by conducting virtual project update sessions and presenting their work through zoom. Here are the sub-team updates from BioT throughout last term:
The brewing team has been developing their research skills by exploring sustainable brewing projects such as “Algae Beer”. This year, their goal is to bring more awareness to climate change, and encourage more environmentally friendly brewing technologies. The team is hoping to collaborate with Young Henry’s Brewery and the Deep Green Biotech Hub (DGBH) from the University of Sydney to further explore these sustainable technologies. Other members of the team have been analyzing different yeast recovery and repitching methods by optimizing the brewing efficiency and cost. The team has also been developing new brewing recipes and exploring new chemistry additives to further improve their brewing technology.
The instrumentation team has been working on their process automation system. They are developing a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) with a user interface capable of displaying data from pumps, fermenters, and tanks. This will allow them to control the brewing system easily and ensure that the system is operating efficiently. Other members of the sub-team have been strengthening their python coding skills by programming Raspberry Pi and Arduino. They are planning to integrate their brewing lab code with current BIoT needs to further facilitate their brewing system.
The laboratory team has been focusing on their research and technical writing skills. They have been investigating genetically modified yeasts to explore glow in the dark beer. The team has been learning different bioprocessing techniques to strengthen their knowledge. For educational purposes of unique brewing controls, they also have been exploring protein beer. In addition, the team has been experimenting with different variable measurement such as International Bitterness Unit (IBU) and Standard Reference Method (SRM), and have been practicing the development of SOPs.
For the upcoming months, BioT plans to connect with more local breweries for sponsorships. They are excited to showcase their projects and compete with other design teams on Research Day happening on March 5th 2021. BioT is also hoping to switch back to in-person work to continue conducting excellent work and achieving amazing results.
