News

20-07-2023

KU Leuven leaping ahead

KU Leuven has jumped higher in the international rankings and is running ahead of the other Belgian universities

21-06-2023

A successful trip to ExxonMobil European Research & Development Days 2023

Bert Sels gave a presentation on lignocellulose biorefinery technology and Wouter Arts was awarded the “Best Poster Presentation Award” on the topic of his work on the lignin-first biorefinery process design, economic analysis and life-cycle assessment

19-06-2023

Reductive amination article is commented on by MIT Professor

We were happy to read that professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT Yuriy Román-Leshkov recently discussed our newest reductive amination research article in a Highlight Preview article ‘Rational process design aids biomolecule-derived ethylene polyamine synthesis’.

02-06-2023

Michiel Dusselier and Bert Sels are nominated as finalists for the European Invention Award in the category of Industry

Michiel Dusselier and Bert Sels have developed a cheaper and more bio-friendly method to produce bioplastics that will contribute to a circular economy.

12-12-2022

Sustainable chemistry: From waste to raw material

Some brief perspectives on green plastics and their incorporation into our daily lives

25-05-2022

Winning award for teaching competencies of Prof. Bert Sels

The students of the Faculty of Bioscience engineering organize a yearly election for the best teachers in the educational program. They are called ' de gouden krijtjes'. This year, Prof. Bert Sels was awarded by the students as 'Favorite Professor in the Master of Catalytic technology'.

25-05-2022

Webinar about the crucial role of catalysis of lignocellulose in a bio-based circular economy

On request of the "Koninklijke Vlaamse Chemische Vereniging" (KVCV), Bert Sels gave an interesting webinar for the members of the KVCV. His talk is called "A Bio-based Circular Economy - Refining lignocellulose and the role of catalysis", and is now available for everyone.

23-05-2022

Successful finalization of the NIBCON project

This interdisciplinary cSBO project ‘NIBCON’ aims at the successful introduction of unique bio-based primary building blocks in future Flemish and European chemical industries. In this way, the project will promote the transition towards a carbon neutral circular bio-economy. It is built around inventive lignocellulose based RCF biorefining and downstream separation technology. The ambition of NIBCON is to further develop this technology in an integrated way towards environmental sustainability, technical scalability and economic feasibility.

17-12-2021

Prof. Dr. ir. Bert F. Sels elected to the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts.

In 2021, the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (KVAB) announced 15 new members to its Classes. Prof. Dr. ir. Bert F. Sels was one of the four members elected to the Class of Natural Sciences on the 6th of December 2021.

19-11-2021

From woody biomass to chemical raw material: relance means for the BioCon project

“With this project, we want to demonstrate that the extraction of lignin from green waste flows, such as plant residues and waste wood, and its conversion into chemical raw materials isn’t only circular, but also technologically and economically feasible”, says full professor of bioengineering Bert Sels. "The chemical industry is a very investment intensive industry; a successful innovation usually entails quite some preliminary research. With this pilot project, we want to take lignin conversion beyond the laboratory phase."