Professor Godfrey Kyazze

I joined the Faculty of Science and Technology in 2009 as a Lecturer in Bioprocess Technology. My BSc degree was in Industrial Chemistry from Makerere University, Uganda, after which I worked as a Production Chemist at Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries (1996) Ltd. I then returned to Makerere University as an Assistant Lecturer in Industrial Chemistry. In 2003, I completed my MSc (Batch Process Engineering) at Loughborough University, UK.

For my PhD, I investigated the fermentative production of hydrogen from carbohydrate-rich substrates, which I completed in 2007 at the Sustainable Environment Research Centre, University of Glamorgan, UK (now University of South Wales). I stayed at Glamorgan for postdoctoral studies investigating the enhancement of hydrogen production from fermentation end products using microbial electrolysis cells. I also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education obtained from the University of Westminster in 2012.

Current research interests

I am currently the Co-Leader of the Sustainable Biotechnology Research Group and Co-Coordinator of the Westminster Biotechnology Research Internship Scheme. Specific research interests include:

• Utilisation of biological resources for the fermentative production of renewable energy fuels/carriers for example bioethanol, biogas, biohydrogen and biobutanol.
• Bio-electrochemical systems e.g. microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment / electricity production and for production of renewable chemicals.
• Process optimisation of bioreactor systems for the production of biological products.

Current projects

• Strain engineering and process development for production of sustainable dyes (bioindigo) from bacteria. This is in collaboration with Bluegene Technologies Ltd.
• Accelerating the commercial implementation of electromethanogenic reactors. This work is sponsored by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and is in collaboration with WASE Ltd.
• Bioelectrochemical remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. This work is sponsored by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Nigeria via a PhD scholarship.
• Development of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells for treatment of azo dye-containing wastewater. This work is sponsored by the Egyptian Government via a PhD scholarship.
• Development of a bioelectrochemical process for water desalination. This work is funded by an alumnus of the University of Westminster, Trevor Yang.
• Biodegradation of mineral plastic waste. This PhD project is self-funded.
• Enhancing Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) for commercial scale production of biohydrogen and biomethane from organic waste. This Innovate UK-funded project is a collaboration between three universities and 2 SMEs in UK and South Korea.

Examples of completed projects

• Process optimisation of fermentative hydrogen production (2012 - 2013)
• Treatment of wastewater containing azo dyes using microbial fuel cells (2010-2014).
• Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated groundwater and soils using bioelectrochemical systems (2011-2015).
• Development of biocomposites with novel characteristics through enzymatic grafting (2011-2015).
• Improved bacterial electricity production from wastewater using a synthetic biology approach (2015 - 2019)
• Development of a biocathode system in microbial fuel cells for improved treatment of azo dyes (2015 - 2019)

Investigating microbial quorum sensing potential for enhanced production of biodegradable polymers (2016 - 2020)

The Effects of Quorum Sensing Molecules on Streptococcus mutans Biofilm (2018-2022)

• Strategies for Improving the Bacterial Biodegradation of PET(2019 - 2023)

If you wish to pursue PhD studies in the following general areas, please get in touch:

• Development of new environmental biotechnologies (e.g. microbial fuel cells) for wastewater treatment, resource recovery or cleaning up contaminated sites.
• Bioprocess optimisation for production of biological products e.g. biofuels
• Synthetic biology approaches to improving the productivity of microbial products. 

Research Groups / Key Appointments:

•  Member of the following research groups/professional organisations:
•  Institute of Chemical Engineering 
• Society for Applied Microbiologists
• International Water Association 
• Westminster Water Science 
• Sustainable Biotechnology.

For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.