Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is a key ingredient in the cocktail of gases that makes up the 'smell of the sea'. Around 300 million tons of DMS are formed each year by single-celled organisms in the surface ocean. A small proportion (up to 16%) of this DMS is released into the atmosphere, forming cloud-seeding compounds which can influence our weather and climate. When it rains, sulfur compounds are deposited back into the soils of our continents. However, most of the DMS formed in the oceans stays there, facing consumption by marine microbes and conversion to another sulfur compound - dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). DMSO is usually the most abundant organic sulfur compound in the oceans and represents a major pool of the essential life elements sulfur and carbon. Seawater contains a rich mixture of important chemical nutrients that support the entire oceanic food web. The dissolved organic nitrogen pool is a chemical 'drive thru' which contains the highly reactive N-osmolytes: glycine betaine, choline and trimethylamine N-oxide. These chemicals are used by microorganisms to protect them from changes in their environmental conditions, such as variability in the saltiness of the surrounding seawater, and to protect their cells from chemical or physical damage. When N-osmolytes breakdown they can release gases such as methylamines into the atmosphere which can influence the climate. We have found a previously unrecognised and intriguing link between the bacterial breakdown of organic nitrogen compounds, like methylamines, and organic sulfur compounds like DMS. This link is provided by a bacterial enzyme called trimethylamine monooxygenase (Tmm). Tmm simultaneously removes both methylamines and DMS from seawater (converting it to DMSO). In fact we think this production of DMSO doesn't happen without the presence of methylamines. We estimate that up to 20% of all bacteria in our oceans contain this particular enzyme. The research we want to carry out will firstly investigate this link between DMS removal and methylamine availability in 'model' micro-organisms in the laboratory, checking that this link is active and how it is controlled in key marine bacteria commonly found in the global oceans. We will next determine the importance of this process compared to other biological processes that consume DMS in seawater and put names to the microbes using this enzyme to remove DMS. We will study the microbial processes linking the organic sulfur and nitrogen cycles in the English Channel at a station that is sampled weekly as part of the Western Channel Observatory which is coordinated by Plymouth Marine Laboratory. This is a long-standing time series site for which a wealth of oceanographic and biological data are available (algal diversity, temperature, nutrients etc.; http://www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk), which we will be able to use. A global model of particles in the atmosphere has recently suggested that changes in the location of DMS emissions, through climate-driven changes in the phytoplankton species distributions, could strongly influence our climate. We therefore want to investigate the link between DMS removal, the availability of organic nitrogen compounds like methylamines and phytoplankton species, which we can do at station L4, where phytoplankton species succession is understood and can be easily sampled. We will compare this temperate coastal region to one of the Earth's DMS hotspots - the Southern Ocean. The atmosphere above this remote and isolated ocean is pristine in comparison to the heavily polluted air of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, the connection between DMS produced in the oceans and our climate is thought to be the strongest. Given the important role of DMS, identifying the role of marine microorganisms and the pathways of DMS removal from seawater will provide key information that will improve our future understanding of how the sulfur cycle influences our climate.

ePIcenter will create an interoperable cloud-based ecosystem of user-friendly extensible Artificial Intelligence-based logistics software solutions and supporting methodologies that will enable all players in global trade and international authorities to co-operate with ports, logistics companies and shippers, and to react in an agile way to volatile political and market changes and to major climate shifts impacting traditional freight routes. This will address the ever-increasing expectations of 21st century consumers for cheaper and more readily available goods and bring in Innovations in transport, such as hyperloops, autonomous/robotic systems (e.g. “T-pods”) and new last-mile solutions as well as technological initiatives such as blockchain, increased digitalisation, single windows, EGNOS positional precision and the Copernicus Earth Observation Programme. ePIcenter thus addresses MG-2-9-2019 of H2020 Mobility for Growth “InCo Flagship on Integrated multimodal, low-emission freight transport systems and logistics”, particularly in what refers to new logistics concepts, new disruptive technologies, new trade routes (including arctic routes and new Silk routes) and multimodal transfer zones. ePIcenter will speed up the path to a Physical Internet and will benefit peripheral regions and landlocked developing countries. ePIcenter will reduce fuel usage (and corresponding emissions) by 10-25%, lead to greater utilisation of greener modes of transport reducing long distance movements by trucks by 20-25% and ensure a smoother profile of arrivals at ports which will reduce congestion and waiting/turnaround times.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an important and highly abundant organo-sulfur compound. It is synthesised by many algae, bacteria and some higher plants, where it is thought to be involved in chemotaxis, grazer deterrence, osmoprotection, cryoprotection, hydrostatic pressure protection and/or resistance to oxidative stress. DMSP, and its gaseous breakdown products, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and methanethiol (MeSH) are the major biosources of sulfur transferred from the oceans to the atmosphere. Atmospheric DMS and MeSH are climate active gases (CAGs) that form aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei, which reduce the global radiation budget and 'cool' the local climate. It was previously thought that only Trichodesmium species of cyanobacteria and low proportions of marine bacteria produce DMSP at significant levels. However, our pilot work shows that many cyanobacteria, e.g. highly abundant marine Synechococcus and saltmarsh species, produce DMSP, as well as other important and abundant bacterial phyla (e.g. gammaproteobacteria). These microbes contain a gene that we term dsyC, which we show encodes the key S-methyltransferase enzyme that catalyses the committed and rate limiting step of DMSP synthesis. This work is important because dsyC genes occur in up to 5% of marine bacteria and are highly transcribed in Earth's photic waters and surface sediment, established from our analysis of the Tara Oceans and local datasets. In comparison, the other DMSP synthesis genes that we and others discovered (dsyB, DSYB, mmtN and TpMMT), encoding the key S-methyltransferase of alternate bacterial and algal DMSP biosynthesis pathways, are collectively far less abundant and transcribed than dsyC. Therefore, cyanobacteria and other diverse bacteria (cyano/bacteria) with DsyC could be very significant contributors to global production of DMSP, and, thus, of CAGs derived from it. This would be a paradigm-shifting finding, showing that cyano/bacteria, pretty much ignored as significant DMSP producers, are large-scale contributors to global production. However, without the multidisciplinary work planned here we are unable to make such statements. The first major goal will be to establish the environmental conditions under which DMSP is produced in cyano/bacteria that have DsyC homologues. We will then generate dsyC knockouts in marine Synechococcus species and a selection of other bacteria with dsyC. Growth of wild-type and mutant strains will then be compared under a range of environmental or stress conditions to assess the role of DMSP in these bacteria and importantly the major environmental drivers of DsyC-dependent DMSP synthesis. In conjunction, we will determine the amount of DMSP per cell and synthesis rates in wild-type and mutant samples. The next goal will be to determine the key features of the DsyC enzyme. To address this, we will examine the enzymatic activity and substrate affinity of DsyC from a range of cyano/bacteria to identify the key amino acid residues that could determine whether they are of a high activity or low activity type. Finally, via analysis of cyano/bacterial samples from a broad range of oligotrophic and coastal waters, and a seasonal study of saltmarsh cyanobacterial mats, we will quantify DMSP and CAG levels and synthesis rates and compare these to laboratory cultured model organisms. This will allow us to estimate annual, global production rates of DMSP by marine Synechococcus and potentially Prochlorococcus species, localised production by all species in Western Pacific and Eastern Indian oceans, and localised saltmarshes and potential production of DMS and therefore the environmental impact of cyanobacterial DMSP production.

The Water Harmony Erasmus+ project developed improved learning and teaching tools, methodologies and pedagogical approaches focusing on 6 water-related subjects: Water resources management, Water treatment, Wastewater treatment, Industrial wastewater treatment, Innovation and entrepreneurship, Academic writing.In course of the project, HEIs from Partner and Program Countries developed new study programs, online quality surveys, improved eLearning resources, established credits recognition practices, learned to pay attention to gender balance issues and transparency in awarding scholarships. The project introduced innovative approach to curricula development based on co-creation, detailed needs and stakeholders analysis, best practices.The project developed 6 new water-related courses, supported with generic curricula, teaching materials, laboratory practicum, teaching methodologies based on blended learning and competence-based approach. The project upgraded laboratories with lab courses and teaching tools. It also developed soft-skills agenda for HEIs from Partner Countries, focused on academic writing, entrepreneurship and collaboration with enterprises, supported with teaching materials and guidelines.Project members from HEIs of Partner Countries learned to think multi-purposely, utilizing resources and the ways to enable financial sustainability in challenging economies, creating opportunities for joint research with industrial partners by demonstrating their capabilities. Participants experiences facilitation techniques for identification of innovations, involving potential investors, guiding to commercialization.The project served as a core for development of national networks of water professionals. It also provided inputs to national standards development and national/international certification/accreditation practices. The project improved positioning of universities, particularly related with international outlook, and helped to strengthen the role of higher education institutions in society at large.

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems Led by the University of Nottingham, with Sheffield and Cardiff SUMMARY This Centre is designed to support the UK energy sector at a time of fundamental change. The UK needs a knowledgeable but flexible workforce to deliver against this uncertain future. Our vision is to develop a world-leading CDT, delivering research leaders with broad economic, societal and contextual awareness, having excellent technical skills and capable of operating in multi-disciplinary teams covering a range of roles. The Centre builds on a heritage of two successful predecessor CDTs but adds significant new capabilities to meet research needs which are now fundamentally different. Over 80% of our graduates to date have entered high-quality jobs in energy-related industry or academe, showing a demand for the highly trained yet flexible graduates we produce. National Need for a Centre The need for a Centre is demonstrated by both industry pull and by government strategic thinking. More than forty industrial and government organisations have been consulted in the shaping and preparation of this proposal. The bid is strongly aligned with EPSRC's Priority Area 5 (Energy Resilience through Security, Integration, Demand Management and Decarbonisation) and government policy. Working with our partners, we have identified the following priority research themes. They have a unifying vision of re-purposing and re-using existing energy infrastructure to deliver rapid and cost-effective decarbonisation. 1. Allowing the re-use and development of existing processes to generate energy and co-products from low-carbon biomass and waste fuels, and to maximise the social, environmental and economic benefits for the UK from this transition 2. Decreasing CO2 emissions from industrial processes by implementation of CCUS, integrating with heat networks where appropriate. 3. Assessing options for the decarbonisation of natural gas users (as fuel or feedstock) in the power generation, industry and domestic heating system through a combination of hydrogen enhancement and/or CO2 capture. Also critical in this theme is the development of technologies that enable the sustainable supply of carbon-lean H2 and the adoption of H2 or H2 enriched fuel/feedstock in various applications. 4. Automating existing electricity, gas and other vector infrastructure (including existing and new methods of energy storage) based on advanced control technologies, data-mining and development of novel instrumentation, ensuring a smarter, more flexible energy system at lower cost. Training Our current Centre operates a training programme branded 'exemplary' by our external examiner and our intention is to use this as solid basis for further improvements which will include a new technical core module, a module on risk management and enhanced training in inclusivity and responsible research. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Our current statistics on gender balance and disability are better than the EPSRC mean. We will seek to further improve this record. We are also keen to demonstrate ED&I within the Centre staff and our team also reflects a diversity in gender, ethnicity and experience. Management and Governance Our PI has joined us after a career conducting and managing energy research for a major energy company and led development of technologies from benchtop to full-scale implementation. He sharpens our industrial focus and enhances an already excellent team with a track record of research delivery. One Co-I chairs the UoN Ethics Committee, ensuring that Responsible Innovation remains a priority. Value for Money Because most of the Centre infrastructure and organisation is already in place, start-up costs for the new centre will be minimal giving the benefit of giving a new, highly refreshed technical capability but with a very low organisational on-cost.