Professor Nigel Scrutton, Professor of Enzymology and Biophysical Chemistry

Professor Nigel Scrutton leads the UK Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH) and co-directs the Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre, SYNBIOCHEM. Scrutton was awarded £10 million in 2014 to establish SYNBIOCHEM, which develops new technologies using synthetic biology for chemical production and provides globally recognised infrastructure to support diverse academic and industrial projects. 

SYNBIOCHEM invited co-development with stakeholders and built relationships with industry, supporting the translation of biology-based manufacturing from concept to commercialisation. SYNBIOCHEM has generated several spin-out companies, including Imperagen and the Manchester Biofactory, which accelerate the design or discovery of enzymes for use in industry. 

In 2015, Scrutton also co-founded C3 Biotech, a spin-out from SYNBIOCHEM specialising in synthetic biology for synthetic fuels and chemicals production. C3 Biotech partnered early on with a specialist regional supplier of petroleum gas to distribute the fuel to end users. In addition to funding from BBSRC and EPSRC, C3 Biotech has been supported by the UK and US defence sectors to produce synthetic kerosene as aviation fuel. The fuel proved successful, enabling a 20-minute Royal Air Force trial drone flight in 2022. Joint US-UK funding is facilitating the translation of this work towards large-scale production of the fuel and has resulted in the development of pilot plant facilities in Manchester. 

The Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH) was set up in 2019 from a further £10 million joint EPSRC and BBSRC grant to act as a biomanufacturing accelerator, complementing the work of SYNBIOCHEM by supporting scalable manufacturing. This funding has propelled advancements in bio-based manufacturing technologies across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and materials and established the FBRH as a national Centre of Excellence in biomanufacturing, boosting the UK's capabilities.

Under Scrutton’s leadership, the FBRH collaborates with industry to advance biomanufacturing. His initiatives support early career researchers and industry collaboration through iCASE studentships and Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts. Scrutton continues to drive research in engineering biology, translating innovations into industrial applications for sustainable manufacturing.

“The funding provided by BBSRC and EPSRC was instrumental in developing the foundational work that enabled C3 BIOTECH to spin out of the University of Manchester. The BBSRC SYNBIOCHEM award enabled innovative strain engineering whilst the EPSRC FutureBRH award allowed C3 BIOTECH to explore early-stage scale-up options.”

Professor Nigel Scrutton