Sydney, Australia: MicroBioGen, an Australian industrial biotechnology and yeast innovation technology solutions leader, has appointed experienced yeast biotechnology and genetics researcher Dr Heinrich Kroukamp as Deputy Head of Research.

Heinrich has nearly a decades’ experience working with and researching yeast – spanning sustainable foods such as animal-free dairy and oils to aroma compound production, fermentation, yeast breeding, synthetic yeast genomics, biofuels, and bioinformatics – across academic and industry settings.

Baker’s yeast, also known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is the most used industrial organism underpinning industries worth over US$2 trillion, including biofuels such as ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), baking, brewing, wine, and animal feed. Yeast has significant potential in transforming global industries, and with MicroBioGen’s elite yeast strains, it can create a more sustainable future and approach to food and fuels.

Prior to his appointment at MicroBioGen, Heinrich was the team lead of yeast metabolic engineering at All G Foods, an Australian precision fermented dairy company. He also held the role of technology lead for synthetic biology at Nourish Ingredients, a food technology company creating animal-free fats.

He has been an Adjunct Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology at Macquarie University since 2021, after working there as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology from 2015 to 2021. During this time, he was primarily responsible for genetic analysis of yeast genomes and improving beneficial traits in yeast through strain breeding, adaptive evolution and genetic engineering.

In his newly appointed role, Heinrich will work closely with MicroBioGen Head of Research and co-founder Dr Philip Bell in providing leadership and direction to team leaders across biofuels, baking, animal feeds, human nutrition, and biochemicals using MicroBioGen’s proprietary platform technology. He will also have a hands-on role in researching and developing new yeast strains, drawing on evolutionary genetics, cell biology, and microbial physiology.   

Dr Heinrich Kroukamp, Deputy Head of Research at MicroBioGen, says: “I’m extremely pleased to be joining MicroBioGen at this pivotal point in time as the company embarks on its next phase. My passion and background in yeast research, molecular biology and biotechnology uniquely positions me to contribute significantly to the ongoing R&D and growth of company. I’m looking forward to leading their innovative research initiatives and continuing their extensive work in elite yeast strain development, alongside a highly experienced team.” 

MicroBioGen CEO and co-founder Geoff Bell, says: “It is an exciting time for Dr Heinrich to join MicroBioGen during our growth phase as we continue to expand our portfolio of world-leading yeast products and progress our research and development of yeast strains for diverse applications across industries and globally.

“We’ve made great strides in developing yeast strains for biofuels, baking, animal feeds, alternative proteins, and biochemicals using our proprietary platform technology. As we continue to create superior yeast strains with meaningful impact in the transition towards renewables and sustainable food production, attracting the best talent and having the strongest team around us is vital. Heinrich’s extensive yeast background enables us to keep advancing and moving forward in our goal.”

MicroBioGen is actively seeking additional employees during this exciting next growth phase. Visit MicroBioGen’s website or contact the executive team for further details.

About MicroBioGen

MicroBioGen is an Australian based biotechnology company with global success in improving the industrial capabilities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast is the world’s most widely used microorganism, underpinning around US$2 trillion in products, from biofuels and pharmaceuticals to mycoproteins for food and feed.

With a proprietary platform technology and library of elite yeast genetics developed over 20 years, MicroBioGen delivers ‘yeast innovation as a service’ to industry leaders globally.

Demonstrated through MicroBioGen’s biofuels partnership with Novonesis and co-developing the Innova yeast series, which delivers unparalleled industrial performance, MicroBioGen is the collaborator of choice for yeast biotechnology, with opportunities in existing and emerging industries, ranging from optimizing yeast for baking, sustainable feed, and energy to food applications. For more information, visit https://www.microbiogen.com.