US award for York research

Posted on Tuesday 1 December 2009

Scientists in the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, based in the Department of Biology at the University of York, have discovered microbial enzymes that break down certain types of explosives.

Pollution from explosives can pose a risk both to the environment and public health so it is vitally important that cost-effective ways of dealing with it are found

Professor Neil Bruce

This understanding has been used to genetically engineer plants that break down pollution left in soil on military training ranges by exploded ordnance.

Their work, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Washington, has now been awarded Project of the Year by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program of the US Department of Defense.

The award was presented to Professor Neil Bruce, Chair of Biotechnology in CNAP, at a symposium in Washington DC today (1 December 2009).

Professor Bruce said: “Ours is one of only a handful of projects outside the US to receive funding from SERDP, which is an accolade in itself, so to be made their project of the year is particularly pleasing.

“Pollution from explosives can pose a risk both to the environment and public health so it is vitally important that cost-effective ways of dealing with it are found.”

Researchers are currently working on ways of making the plants process the explosives more efficiently and experimenting with different species of grasses.

ENDS