Processes Webinar | Applied Biocatalysis: Pathways to Sustainability and Decarbonization
14 May 2026
Welcome from the Chair
Our current way of life—characterized by high standards in medical care, a demand for convenient solutions in our daily lives, and substantial energy consumption to sustain telecommunications and advanced technologies—poses a significant global challenge. As society continues to grow and evolve, so does the pressure on our natural resources and the environment.
In this context, we are faced with an important question: how can we maintain and even improve our quality of life while ensuring that our planet remains healthy for future generations? Achieving this balance requires rethinking how we produce, consume, and innovate, while always considering sustainability as a central pillar.
Biotechnology offers promising answers to these challenges. By drawing inspiration from nature, biocatalysis enables more efficient and environmentally friendly processes, often by reducing waste and energy demands. In this way, it plays a key role in advancing us toward a circular economy, where resources are used more responsibly and are continuously reused
Dr. Carminna Ottone
School of Biochemical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile
Date: 14 May 2026
Time: 3:00pm CEST | 9:00am EDT | 9:00pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 854 2150 6241
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Event Chairs
School of Biochemical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile
Associate Professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering at PUCV, Chile, since 2022. She holds a PhD in Materials Science from the Politecnico di Torino and conducts her research at the Biocatalysis Laboratory, focusing on biotechnological interfaces and waste valorization. She is currently a member of the doctoral committees of the PhD programs in Engineering Sciences with a specialization in Biochemical Engineering (PUCV) and in Biotechnology (PUCV-UTFSM). Her work focuses on the design of nano-architectures for enzyme stabilization and environmental applications, with significant experience in advanced human capital training and international collaboration.
Keynote Speakers
Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Synthesis of Bioplastics: From Crude HMF to 2,5-FDCA via Enzymatic Route
Kírian Bonet-Ragel is a postdoctoral researcher at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), working in the field of biocatalysis and enzyme science. He holds a degree in Biotechnology from the University of Girona and completed his PhD at UAB. His research focuses on the development of enzyme-based catalytic systems, including immobilized enzymes and multienzymatic cascades, to enable more sustainable and efficient chemical processes. His work spans enzyme engineering, bioprocess development, and applications in areas such as green chemistry, CO₂ valorization, and industrial biotechnology.
Decarboxylases as Green Biocatalysts for the Generation of C6 Chemical Precursors From CO₂
Claudia Bernal is a researcher and professor in the Department of Chemistry at University of La Serena (Chile). Her work focuses on biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, and the development of sustainable catalytic systems for chemical synthesis. Her research has focused on the use of enzymes for non-conventional reactions, including the enzymatic production of hexaric acids, and, more recently, the application of decarboxylases as catalytic tools for sustainable chemical transformations. She has experience in enzyme immobilization, protein engineering, and the design of hybrid catalytic systems that integrate biological and chemical approaches. Her current research explores strategies to enhance enzyme stability, activity, and equilibrium control, with applications in green chemistry and the synthesis of bio-based compounds.
Department of Applied Science and Technology (DiSAT), Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Biomass Conversion into Bio-Material and Bio-Energy for a Decarbonized Production System
Francesca Demichelis is a researcher and assistant professor at the Politecnico di Torino in the Chemical Engineering department. She is an environmental engineer with a PhD in Chemical Engineering. Her research focus includes biochemical and thermochemical processes for converting organic waste into high-added-value products and bio-energies. Specifically, her research on biochemical processes involves anaerobic digestion optimization, focusing upstream of the biomass and downstream of biogas, while her research on thermochemical processes uses pyrolysis to produce biochar, bio-oil, and syngas. In her work, Francesca explores technical feasibility through techno-environmental assessment and examines environmental impacts through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Program
| Speaker/Presentation | Time in EDT | Time in CEST |
|
MDPI Host Processes and Webinar Introduction |
09:00-09:05 | 15:00-15:05 |
|
Dr. Carminna Ottone Chair Introduction |
09:05-09:10 | 15:05-15:10 |
|
Dr. Kírian Bonet-Ragel Synthesis of Bioplastics: From Crude HMF to 2,5-FDCA via Enzymatic Route |
09:10-09:30 |
15:10-15:30 |
|
Prof. Dr. Claudia Bernal Decarboxylases as Green Biocatalysts for the Generation of C6 Chemical Precursors From CO₂ |
09:30-09:50 |
15:30-15:50 |
|
Dr. Francesca Demichelis Biomass Conversion Into Bio-Material and Bio-Energy for a Decarbonized Production System |
09:50-10:10 |
15:50-16:10 |
|
MDPI Host Processes Journal report |
10:10-10:20 |
16:10-16:20 |
| Q&A |
10:20-10:30 |
16:20-16:30 |
|
Dr. Carminna Ottone Closing of Webinar |
10:30-10:35 |
16:30-16:35 |
Registration
This is a FREE webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Relevant Special Issue
"Advanced Catalytic Approaches for Sustainable Biofuel Production"
Guest Editor: Dr. Oyetola Ogunkunle
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2026
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
