Capture solar energy
Cyanobacteria use sunlight to split water, releasing electrons, protons and oxygen.
EIC Pathfinder · A European research consortium
Turning sunlight
into hydrogen.
Photosynthetic electron focusing technology for direct efficient biohydrogen production from solar energy
We’re engineering photosynthetic bacteria to create a new route from sunlight and water to clean, renewable fuel.
6Partner organisations
5European countries
€4.19mEU contribution
2022–27Project duration
The idea
Nature captures sunlight.
We give it a new direction.
Photosynthesis powers life. PhotoSynH2 brings together synthetic biology, enzyme engineering and photobioreactor design to direct that energy towards hydrogen.
Focus the electron flow
Engineered biological systems aim to redirect electrons towards hydrogen production while managing oxygen inhibition.
Build towards scale
Hydrogenase enzymes and contained photobioreactors bring the biological route closer to practical energy production.
From cells to systems
Small organisms.
A large research ambition.
Our work starts with Synechocystis, a well-studied cyanobacterium, and connects molecular engineering to the demands of cultivation and scale.
- Engineering biologyDesign and evolve genetic regulators and hydrogen-producing enzymes.
- Making light work harderImprove light use, oxygen management and electron transfer.
- Designing for real conditionsDevelop salt-tolerant strains and efficient, contained photobioreactors.
The consortium
One challenge.
Expertise across Europe.
Six partners connect fundamental research with engineering and industrial know-how. The project is coordinated by Alfonso Jaramillo at CSIC’s i2SysBio.
Meet the people behind the project →Knowledge in motion
From the consortium
A local learning rule for engineered bacteria
The latest bioRxiv revision from Satya Prakash and colleagues describes a genetically encoded learning rule in engineered bacteria. The work acknowledges PhotoSynH2.
↗Compact genetic switches for two-input control
Satya Prakash and Alfonso Jaramillo report compact bacterial combinatorial promoters for chemical AND switching in the Journal of Biological Engineering.
↗Cyanobacteria in the classroom in Penafiel
Filipe Pinto brought the possibilities of cyanobacterial biotechnology to students at Escola Secundária de Penafiel through the i3S Embaixadores da Ciência programme.
↗Let’s connect
A conversation
about what comes next.
For research collaborations, project enquiries or media requests, contact Steve.