On June 24–25, 2025, the FLEXIZYME consortium came together for its first in-person meeting since the Kick-off—this time in Athens, at the Royal Olympic Hotel, with a warm welcome from our hosts at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).
Held almost exactly one year after the project’s official launch, the meeting offered the perfect opportunity to reflect on our progress and reinforce the collaboration among the 17 project partners.
Over the two days, each work package shared technical updates, aligning ongoing efforts and next steps. Among the highlights:
- 🔬 NTUA presented preliminary results from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), which show promising environmental and economic potential for FLEXIZYME’s technology.
- 🌱 Partners discussed feedstock analyses, including the potential use of palm oil distillate, coconut oil, and off-spec lentils, evaluating their transformation into fatty amines as well as comparing them with conventional waste management options.
- 🧬 Significant progress was shared on the characterisation and engineering of key enzymes, including carboxylic acid reductases (CARs) and transaminases (TAs), essential for the project’s biocatalytic pathway. Partners are advancing in both computational modelling and experimental validation to improve enzyme efficiency, selectivity, and industrial applicability.
- 🧭 A major milestone was also achieved with the presentation of the project’s Ethical Strategy, developed by ENCO, ensuring that FLEXIZYME adheres to responsible research principles from the outset.
Beyond the technical sessions, the atmosphere was energised by lively discussions, productive decisions, and strong team spirit, so much so that the consortium agreed to meet again in person very soon
The first day ended with a relaxed networking dinner overlooking the Acropolis, where partners enjoyed traditional Greek cuisine and beautiful views, reinforcing the human connections that power scientific collaboration.
The second day wrapped up with discussions on coordination, management, and the exciting road ahead. With strong momentum and a shared vision, FLEXIZYME continues to advance toward creating a sustainable biotechnological platform for fatty amine production.
If you want to stay updated on FLEXIZYME’s journey, don’t miss the upcoming edition of our newsletter, coming soon with fresh insights, partner highlights, and project milestones. We’ll also be sharing updates on upcoming events and conferences where you can meet us and learn more about how we’re shaping the future of sustainable biobased production. Stay tuned!
