Catalytic Conversions for Biobased Chemicals

Dr. Harry Bitter serves as Professor and Chair of Biobased Chemistry and Technology at Wageningen University & Research since 2013, where he leads research on sustainable production of chemicals from biomass and biomass-derived feedstocks. After completing his PhD in heterogeneous catalysis at Twente University in 1997, he spent 15 years at Utrecht University developing fundamental understanding of catalyst characteristics and activity. His research combines multiple disciplines including chemistry, catalysis, microbiology, separations and modeling to address biomass conversion challenges. As co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed publications with an h-index of 44 and nearly 7,000 citations, he has established himself as a prominent figure in sustainable chemical production. He currently chairs the Netherlands Institute for Research in Catalysis (NIOK) and serves on the board of the Royal Dutch Chemical Society. His group focuses on TIPTOP chemistry - Turning variable InPut into Tailored OutPut - addressing the challenges of converting variable biomass feedstocks into consistent chemical products. Beyond academia, he contributes to advancing the field through his roles in various research initiatives and his work integrating chemical approaches with computational methods to develop a circular biobased economy.

Dr. Marian H. Vermuë serves as Associate Professor at the Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, where she specializes in bioprocess engineering and microalgae biorefinery. After completing her MSc in Molecular Sciences and PhD in Bioprocess Engineering at Wageningen University focusing on biocatalysis in non-conventional media, she has established herself as a key researcher in biotechnology and downstream processing. Her current research activities center on microalgal production in closed photobioreactors, harvesting techniques, and biorefinery approaches. She has made significant contributions to developing mild and selective protein extraction methods from microalgae, particularly through innovative techniques like pulsed electric field treatment. Her work emphasizes integrating downstream processing with fermentation design while considering cellular metabolism effects. Through her research at Bioprocess Engineering and AlgaePARC, she continues to advance the economic viability of large-scale microalgae processes by developing multi-product biorefinery approaches and novel harvesting methods such as bio-flocculation. Her expertise spans biotechnology, algae cultivation, bioprocess design, and downstream processing, contributing to both fundamental research and practical applications in sustainable bioprocessing.