Featured Post from Aston University

Aston University scientist showcases research to convert rice straw into bioenergy for Philippines’ rural communities

Oct 31, 2023

4 min

Dr Mirjam Röder



• Rice straw could be a fuel of the future in rural Philippines

• Across Asia 300 million tonnes of rice straw go up in smoke every year

• New proposals includes scaling up harvesting system with straw removal, biogas-powered rice drying and storage and efficient milling.


An Aston University bioenergy researcher has been explaining how rice straw could be a fuel of the future in rural Philippines.


Dr Mirjam Roeder who is based at the University’s Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) is collaborating with the UK company Straw Innovations Ltd, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Koolmill Systems Ltd to showcase their research.


The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) states that rice is the number one food crop globally and 91% of it is produced and consumed in Asia. As a crop it is responsible for 48% of global crop emissions and for every kilogram of rice, a kilo of straw is produced.


Across Asia 300 million tonnes of rice straw go up in smoke every year when burnt after harvest, releasing emissions and air pollutants that triple risks of increased respiratory diseases and accelerate climate change.


To raise awareness of sustainable uses for rice straw Dr Roeder has travelled to the sixth International Rice Congress in Manila, Philippines to explain the potential of the emerging technology.

Rice straw is an underdeveloped feedstock and can be collected and digested to produce biogas, unlocking sustainable straw management options and renewable energy for farmers using anaerobic digestion (AD) from rice straw.


Dr Roeder has been working with Straw Innovations on their UK Innovate project demonstration facility in the Philippines, the Rice Straw Biogas Hub, which is scaling up a complete harvesting system with straw removal, biogas-powered rice drying and storage, together with efficient milling.


Craig Jamieson, Straw Innovations said: “The International Rice Congress is only held every four years and is a key event for coordinating and tracking progress in rice research.

“Our partnership with Aston University and SEARCA adds independent, scientific rigour to the work we do and amplifies our message to government policy makers. We are grateful to Innovate UK for their ongoing support through the Energy Catalyst Programme, which is accelerating our development.”


At the conference Dr Roeder has been explaining how independent environmental and social research can increase farmer incomes, equality of opportunity, food security and decarbonisation benefits.


She said: “Engaging with stakeholders and working in partnership across organisations is vital to the successful adoption of new technologies. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to host an event with our project partners at this prestigious conference, bringing the cutting-edge research of using rice straw for clean energy to the forefront of the rice research community and supporting the pathway to net zero.”


Dr Glenn B Gregorio, Center Director of SEARCA, added: "We are gaining insights into the environmental impact of rice straw utilisation and implementing policies to unleash its potential to empower us to make informed decisions that are instrumental to climate change mitigation and decarbonisation,"


Professor Rex Demafelis, University of the Philippines, is also working with SEARCA and is leading the project on life cycle analyses and measurements of rice straw greenhouse gas emissions. He said: “Rice straw is a valuable resource, and we are grateful to be part of this team which seeks to harness its full potential and promote circularity, which would ultimately contribute to our goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”


ENDS


The Supergen Bioenergy Hub works with academia, industry, government and societal stakeholders to develop sustainable bioenergy systems that support the UK’s transition to an affordable, resilient, low-carbon energy future.

The Hub is funded jointly by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and is part of the wider Supergen Programme.

For further information contact Rebecca Fothergill and Catriona Heaton supergen-bioenergy@aston.ac.uk


Follow us on Twitter @SuperBioHub

Visit our website at supergen-bioenergy.net

Visit our YouTube Channel to watch the video on Carbon Balance


FAO: RICE PRODUCTION IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES - M.K. Papademetriou* (fao.org) https://www.fao.org/3/x6905e/x6905e04.htm


About Aston University

For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.

Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.

Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.

Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.

For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk


Connect with:
Dr Mirjam Röder

Dr Mirjam Röder

Associate Professorial Research Fellow, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI)

Dr Röder's research interests focus on bioenergy and related sustainability implications.

SustainabilityNegative EmissionsBioenergy and BioeconomyClimate ChangeBioenergy and Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from Aston University

1 min

Lab grown meat could be on sale in UK within two years - but what is lab-grown meat?

Meat, dairy and sugar grown in a lab could be on sale in the UK for human consumption for the first time within two years, sooner than expected. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking at how it can speed up the approval process for lab-grown foods. Such products are grown from cells in small chemical plants. UK firms have led the way in the field scientifically but feel they have been held back by the current regulations. Aston University has been working on cultivated meat - find out more about what lab-made meat is  made of and how it is created in the podcast Breaking Down Barriers on Spotify   https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bFy1gr2LJCwiRLPAT9Hml For further details contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk

4 min

Aston University collaboration to develop injectable paste which could treat bone cancer

A £110k grant from Orthopaedic Research UK is to help to conduct the work Study is a collaboration with The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Researchers to use gallium-doped bioglass to produce a substance with anticancer and bone regenerative properties. Professor Richard Martin Aston University is collaborating in research to develop an injectable paste which could treat bone cancer. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital has secured a £110,000 grant from Orthopaedic Research UK to conduct the work. The project will see researchers at the hospital and the University use gallium-doped bioglass to produce a substance with anticancer and bone regenerative properties. If proved effective it could be used to treat patients with primary and metastatic cancer. Gallium is a metallic element that when combined with bioactive glass can kill cancerous cells that remain when a tumour is removed. It also accelerates the regeneration of the bone and prevents bacterial contamination. A recent study led by Aston University found that bioactive glasses doped with the metal have a 99 percent success rate of eliminating cancerous cells. Dr Lucas Souza, research lab manager at the hospital’s Dubrowsky Lab is leading the project. He said : “Advances in treatment of bone cancer have reached a plateau over the past 40 years, in part due to a lack of research studies into treatments and the complexity and challenges that come with treating bone tumours. Innovative and effective therapeutic approaches are needed, and this grant provides vital funds for us to continue our research into the use of gallium-doped bioglass in the treatment of bone cancer.” Professor Richard Martin who is based in Aston University’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences added: “The injectable paste will function as a drug delivery system for localised delivery of anticancer gallium ions and bisphosphonates whilst regenerating bone. Our hypothesis is that this will promote rapid bone formation and will prevent cancer recurrence by killing residual cancer cells and regulating local osteoclastic activity.” It is hoped the new approach will be particularly useful in reducing cancer recurrence and implant site infections. It is also thought that it will reduce implant failure rates in cases of bone tumours where large resections for complete tumour removal is either not possible, or not recommended. This could include incidents when growths are located too close to vital organs or when major surgery will inflict more harm than benefit. It could also be used in combination with minimally invasive treatments such as cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation to manage metastatic bone lesions. Dr Souza added: “The proposed biomaterial has the potential to drastically improve treatment outcomes of bone tumour patients by reducing cancer recurrence, implant-site infection rates, and implant failure rates leading to reduced time in hospital beds, less use of antibiotics, and fewer revision surgeries. Taken together, these benefits could improve survival rates, functionality and quality of life of bone cancer patients.” Other members of the team include the hospital’s Professor Adrian Gardner, director of research and development and Mr Jonathan Stevenson, orthopaedic oncology and arthroplasty consultant, Dr Eirini Theodosiou from Aston University and Professor Joao Lopes from the Brazilian Aeronautics Institute of Technology. ENDS About the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest specialist orthopaedic units in Europe, offering planned orthopaedic surgery to people locally, nationally, and internationally. The Trust is an accredited Veteran Aware organisation and a Disability Confident Leader. Ranked 8th in the 2024 UK Inclusive Top 50 Employers list, the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital is the highest-ranking NHS organisation for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital has a vibrant research portfolio of clinical trials, observational studies and laboratory studies exploring new treatment options, new approaches in rehabilitation and therapy, and new medical devices. This research is delivered by our researchers and clinicians spread across the Knowledge Hub, our home for education and research, and the Dubrowsky Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, a state-of-the-art lab opened in 2019. About Aston University For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally. Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020. Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world. For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press & Communications Manager on 07941194168 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk

4 min

Babies respond positively to smell of foods experienced in the womb according to study co-led at Aston University

Babies whose mothers took kale or carrot capsules when pregnant responded more favourably to these smells The research shows that the process of developing food preferences begins in the womb, much earlier than previously thought The research follows up on an earlier study Babies show positive responses to the smell of foods they were exposed to in the womb after they are born, according to a new study. The findings, led by Durham University, UK, could have implications for understanding how healthy eating habits might be established in babies during pregnancy. The research included scientists from Aston University, UK, and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and University of Burgundy, France. It is published in the journal Appetite. Researchers analysed the facial expressions of babies who had been repeatedly exposed to either kale or carrot in the womb after birth. Newborns whose mothers had taken carrot powder capsules when pregnant were more likely to react favourably to the smell of carrot. Likewise, babies whose mothers had taken kale powder capsules while pregnant reacted more positively to the kale scent. Research co-lead author and supervisor Professor Nadja Reissland, of the Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab, Department of Psychology, Durham University, said: “Our analysis of the babies’ facial expressions suggests that they appear to react more favourably towards the smell of foods their mothers ate during the last months of pregnancy. Potentially this means we could encourage babies to react more positively towards green vegetables, for example, by exposing them to these foods during pregnancy. “In that respect, the memory of food the mother consumes during pregnancy appears to establish a preference for those smells and potentially could help to establish healthy eating habits at a young age.” This study is a follow-up to a 2022 research paper where the researchers used 4D ultrasound scans at 32 and 36 gestational weeks to study foetal facial expressions after their pregnant mothers had ingested a single dose of either 400mg of carrot or kale capsules. Foetuses exposed to carrot showed more “laughter-face” responses while those exposed to kale showed more “cry-face” responses. For the latest study, the researchers followed up 32 babies from the original research paper – 16 males and 16 females – from 36 weeks gestation until approximately three weeks after birth. Mothers consumed either carrot or kale capsules every day for three consecutive weeks until birth. When the babies were about three weeks old, the research team tested newborns’ reactions to kale, carrot, and a control odour. Separate wet cotton swabs dipped in either carrot or kale powders, or water as the control, were held under each infant’s nose and their reaction to the different smells was captured on video. The babies did not taste the swabs. Scientists then analysed the footage to see how the newborns reacted and compared these reactions with those seen before the babies were born to understand the effects of repeated flavour exposure in the last trimester of pregnancy. The research team found that, from the foetal to newborn period, there was an increased frequency in “laughter-face” responses and a decreased frequency in “cry-face” responses to the smell the babies had experienced before birth. Humans experience flavour through a combination of taste and smell. In foetuses, this happens through inhaling and swallowing the amniotic fluid in the womb. Research co-lead author Dr Beyza Ustun-Elayan carried out the research while doing her PhD at Durham University. Dr Ustun-Elayan, who is now based at the University of Cambridge, said: “Our research showed that foetuses can not only sense and distinguish different flavours in the womb but also start learning and establish memory for certain flavours if exposed to them repeatedly. This shows that the process of developing food preferences begins much earlier than we thought, right from the womb. By introducing these flavours early on, we might be able to shape healthier eating habits in children from the start.” The researchers stress that their findings are a baseline study only. They say that longer follow-up studies are needed to understand long-term impacts on child eating behaviour. They add that further research would also need to be carried out on a larger group of infants, at different points in time. They say that the absence of a control group not exposed to specific flavours makes it challenging to fully disentangle developmental changes in the babies from the effects of repeated flavour exposure. Future research should also factor in post-birth flavour experiences, such as some milk formulas known to have a bitter taste, which could impact babies’ responses to the smell of bitter and non-bitter vegetables. The research involved the children of white British mothers, and the researchers say that future studies should be widened to explore how different cultural dietary practices might influence foetal receptivity to a broader array of flavours. Research co-author Professor Jackie Blissett, at Aston University’s School of Psychology, said: “These findings add to the weight of evidence that suggests that flavours of foods eaten by mothers during late pregnancy are learnt by the foetus, preparing them for the flavours they are likely to experience in postnatal life.” Research co-author Professor Benoist Schaal, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)-University of Burgundy, France said: “Foetuses not only detect minute amounts of all types of flavours the mothers ingest, but they overtly react to them and remember them while in the womb and then after birth for quite long times. In this way, mothers have an earlier than early teaching role, as the providers of the infant’s first odour or flavour memories.” Visit https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.107891 to read the full research paper in Appetite.

View all posts
Powered by