The biggest surprise of the event, however, was the grill that appeared from the ÄIO’s storage room. Soon, the smell of meat in a Brazilian marinade was filling the Tehnopol air, making it rather difficult to remember that this was supposed to be just a lunch break. 

Instead, it turned into a relaxed afternoon with good food, conversations and plenty of fun — a simple reminder that collaboration can also happen away from desks, meetings and laboratories. 

The same activity next year? 

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Our adventure began on the 17th of July at Tallinn’s Linnahall harbor, where we boarded the ferry. The ferry, which can accommodate around 100 passengers, was packed, with every ticket sold. Most of the passengers were Estonians, which seemed to be a great example of how popular domestic tourism is among locals. 

On the island, our guide was waiting to welcome us, and our adventure began. Our first stops took us into the island’s fascinating history. We explored several places, including the Officers’ Casino and the remains of Peter the Great’s Naval Fortress — more specifically, the “Heavy Batteries of the Tallinn–Porkkala Line”. Walking among these remnants of the past, it was easy to imagine how strategically important this seemingly peaceful island once was. 

After exploring the historical sites, we made our way towards the beach. We found a perfect spot in the shade of the trees and settled down for a picnic. Some brave members of the team dipped their toes into the sea, but despite it being summer, the water was surprisingly ice-cold! 

With renewed energy after lunch, we headed towards one of Aegna’s most mysterious attractions — its magical stone labyrinth. The 11-turn stone labyrinth, also known as “Jerusalem”, is an important part of Aegna’s cultural heritage. Throughout history, labyrinths have been associated with rituals, mystery, and spiritual journeys. This one is said to have been regarded as a ritual sanctuary and a place for connecting with supernatural forces. One of the BioEng members even completed the entire labyrinth — but whether it really has a magical effect remains a secret. 

Our next destination was the impressive Tulekivi boulder. In the past, a fire was lit on top of it to serve as a navigational signal for ships approaching the island. On this day, however, the boulder had a different purpose — it was conquered by the BioEng team! The climb up was surprisingly easy, although getting back down proved to be a little more complicated. 

Our adventure continued with a visit to a boulder field before we followed a magical trail marked by a continuous line of stones. Here, we discovered another fascinating island tradition: everyone who walks the trail is encouraged to pick up a stone from the shore and add it to the markings along the path, making the trail a little longer for the next visitors. In this way, every person who visits becomes a small part of the island’s story. 

Eventually, following the trail, we made our way back to the port. Before boarding the ferry, there was, of course, one final and essential stop: the ice-cream kiosk! As the ferry carried us back towards Tallinn, we could look back on a day filled with sunshine, history, nature, adventure and plenty of laughter. But the day was not over yet. Back in Tallinn, we continued our summer adventure with a delicious Georgian meal. 

And so, with tired legs, happy faces and plenty of new memories, we brought our amazing BioEng Summer Day to an end.

(Thank you Adventurehiking OÜ for an amazing guide Jaan Jalas)

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Mid-term Meeting 

Meeting held at CIEMAT, and coordinated by IMDEA Energía Energy, in Madrid. 

During the meeting, each Doctoral Candidate presented the main achievements and activities developed within their Individual Research Projects since the last meeting, showcasing the excellent progress being made across the programme. These sessions provided valuable discussions, feedback, and new perspectives, reinforcing the collaborative spirit of the project.  

Biorefinery for Biofuels & Chemicals Training 

The training was held in Turku, Finland. The three-day training provided an in-depth overview of modern biorefinery concepts and sustainable biomass valorization, covering topics such as lignocellulosic biomass processing, thermochemical conversion technologies, algae-based biorefineries, bioactive compounds, and industrial case studies from pilot-scale biorefineries.  

The workshop fostered interdisciplinary learning and collaboration while strengthening expertise in circular bioeconomy and sustainable production of biofuels and biochemicals.

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The aim of the summer school was to introduce the participants to the analysis of biological data using infrared spectroscopy and machine learning. Through lectures and a hands-on interdisciplinary project, it provided practical skills in FTIR data processing, spectral pre-treatment, multivariate analysis and machine-learning methods, while strengthening the ability to tackle complex bioscience problems collaboratively.  

These skills and insights are directly relevant to research involving biological samples and spectroscopic data. 

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Supervisor: Rahul Kumar, Senior Researcher – Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
Co – supervisor: Henrique Sepulveda Del Rio Hamacek ,PhD student & Early Stage Researcher – Division of Food and biotechnology: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
Reviewer: Kaarel Adamberg, Senior Researcher – Division of Food and biotechnology: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology

(Summary of the thesis)
Although Rhodotorula toruloides is widely studied for lipid production, its potential for exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis in bioreactor conditions remains underexplored. This study investigated how cultivation parameters—such as pH control, nutrient composition, and osmotic stress—affect biomass formation, EPS production, and cell morphology.

Bioreactor cultivations showed that buffered, pH-controlled, and urea-supplemented conditions significantly increased biomass (≈14–20 g L⁻¹), while control and high-salt conditions resulted in lower biomass (≈6–7 g L⁻¹). EPS production was highest under control and buffered conditions (≈3–4 g L⁻¹), with minimal production under other conditions. Protein content and morphology varied, with filamentous and aggregated structures observed under certain conditions, highlighting the influence of pH and nutrient balance on cellular adaptation.

Overall, the results demonstrate that cultivation conditions strongly impact biomass composition and EPS synthesis in R. toruloides, supporting its potential as a versatile platform for biopolymer production. Further research should focus on process optimization and molecular-level analyses to better understand EPS biosynthesis and carbon allocation.

This work provides a strong foundation for a planned scientific publication. 📄
We look forward to seeing where your passion for science will take you next! 🔬

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Over the past months, talented and passionate innovators from across Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania came together to transform scientific ideas into impactful biotech and deep tech solutions.  

BeeYOND idea was to create honey without bees—while preserving the same nutritional and functional benefits. Using locally sourced ingredients and precision fermentation, the team aims to produce a bee-free honey rich in enzymes and antioxidants.  

Wild honeybees are increasingly at risk of extinction across the EU, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of traditional honey production. At the same time, the European honey market is projected to grow by 4.8% by 2030, driven by rising awareness of honey’s health benefits, including immune system support. Consumers are also shifting toward natural sweeteners over synthetic alternatives. 

Currently, local honey production meets only about 63% of demand, while up to 46% of imported honey is suspected to be adulterated. BeeYOND addresses both sustainability and quality challenges by offering a reliable and innovative alternative to conventional honey.  

“We need a sustainable source of honey without risking the honey-bee popluation.” 

Looking forward to tasting “Bee-Free-Honey” in the future! 

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