WE ARE HONOURED TO RECEIVE ADVISORY SERVICES AND FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (NRC IRAP) TO FURTHER THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR LIGHT-GENERATING BIOCATALYST SYSTEMS.
Most people are familiar with single-use glow sticks from events, but do not know the worldwide use of chemiluminescent lighting results from decades of development pioneered by the US Navy and the chemical company DuPont.
Nyoka Design Lab is on a mission to replace these chemiluminescent chemicals with a completely redesigned non-toxic and biodegradable version powered by the glow of bioluminescent enzymes. To support this industrial biotechnology development, Nyoka has received support in the form of advisory services and up to $148,000 in funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to support a research and development project involving the ‘Directed Evolution of Luminescent Enzymes Towards High-Performance and Industrial Use Case.’
This glow stick redesign is geared towards replacing recreational, industrial, and research applications of chemiluminescence and has a wide range of applications in industries as diverse as defense, marine, humanitarian aid, entertainment, and research.
“Industrial biotechnology is a field that has the power to transform what our materials are made from and how they are made, and the bedrock of this industry is healthy, thriving, biodiverse ecosystems from which we draw inspiration and literal DNA!” says Paige Whitehead, CEO & CoFounder. “Our work showcases the value of protecting our planet’s rarest ecosystems. Nyoka plans to expand on the useful applications of bioluminescence to prevent more toxic chemicals and plastic waste from entering our environment.”
Industrial biotechnology involves working with nature to maximize and optimize existing biochemical pathways that can be used in manufacturing. According to the Journal of Nature Biotechnology, ‘Biological technology has the potential to alter many aspects of human life, and it will transform them in ways we cannot imagine.’
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