Biofuels made by bacteria
Oil is running out and gasoline prices shoot up. Fortunately, work is being conducted to find a solution: biofuels, and Lin Lin (23) was there during her work placement for Bachelor of Life Science at HAN University (Institute of Applied Science).
English course on Life Sciences
Lin Lin came to the Netherlands for the Bachelor course Life Sciences (in English). 'Life Sciences technology in China is not so far advanced, so therefore I wanted to study in Europe. And the Netherlands I think is very nice, with its tulips and windmills.'
Last year she took a work placement in the research centre of the Institute Applied Sciences ‘Biocentre’. There she worked in the front line on top of something new: making of biofuels from oils produced by bacteria.
Alternative fuels
Many researchers are working on alternatives to current fuels, because the sources of oil are running low. If we wish to continue driving our cars, there must be something new. Hence the research into biofuels.
Biofuel is made from plants such as maize. Bacteria help by transforming plant sugars into bio-ethanol, which is a good basis for fuel. The disadvantage is that one needs many plants for a little petrol. Therefore the Biocentre staff came up with something else. ‘We used the oil that bacteria produced themselves,’says Lin. 'First we grew bacteria. Then we devised a way to isolate the oil. From this you can make fuel suitable for motor vehicles.’
Helping people
Nevertheless her enthusiasm, Lin’s heart lies with more human issues. ‘I enjoy the Life Sciences course because you learn everything about the human body and about the impact of illness, medicines and food on our bodies.’ She wants to specialize in infection and immunology. ‘My father has an immune disease and I know how bad it is. I hope my contribution can be such that people, who are sick, can be helped. Also as a researcher in a lab one can help people’.
Lin Lin feels a real investigator. ‘I like to discover new things. Sometimes you are frustrated - you really do not understand why an experiment does not succeed. The trick is then to persist. I always think: I have chosen for this problem, now I will also solve it! And when it finally succeeds, it is fantastic.’
