Maria Westerholm

My research focuses on microbes involved in anaerobic degradation and biogas production. I am particularly interested in discovering co-occouring network and syntrophic interactions, with the aim to find microbial solutions that, when combined with technological innovations, can enhance and stabilize biogas production. I aim to deepen our understanding of anaerobic digestion processes and contribute to the development of biomass-based platforms for producing biofuels and bio-fertilizers. I've expertise in strict anaerobic cultivation techniques, bioreactor operation and molecular analyses.

As a member of the Anaerobic Microbial Biotechnology (AMB) group at SLU, I perform research in close collaboration with biogas industry, research institutes and various Swedish and international research groups.

I began my doctoral studies in 2007 after completing my MSc in Biotechnology at Lund University and recieved my PhD 2012 with a thesis titled “Biogas production through the syntrophic acetate-oxidising pathway – characterisation and detection of syntrophic acetate-oxidising bacteria”. In 2015, I completed a postdoc at KU Leuven in Belgium, and since then, I have been working as a researcher at SLU. 

Biogas production in a sustainable society, anaerobic microbiology, microbial energy metabolism

Grants

Novo Nordisk Foundation ascending investigator 2023 - Research within Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology. "Pinpoint syntrophic requirements to optimize biomethane production systems" Grant No 0081830. Principal Investigator.

Marie Curie MSCA Doctoral Network 2022. “Development of high-performance biogas systems for increased bioplastics degradation” Coordinator KU Leuven. Grant No 101120427. Co-applicant. 

European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 2020. ”Deciphering the network of microbial, environmental and physical factors underlying aggregation and enhanced performance in syntrophic microorganism communities” Grant No 948138. Principal Investigator.

Kamprad Family Foundation 2020. "Unique reactor concept for enhanced biogas production from lignocellulosic material". Grant No 20200126. Main applicant

Swedish Research Council (VR) Starting Grant (NE) 2019. “Promote syntrophic flocculation for optimization of microbial processes” Grant No 2019-03846. Main applicant

Swedish Research Council (Formas) 2018. Research and development projects for future research leaders 2018. “Improved biogas production by promoting syntrophic propionate oxidation” Grant No 2018-00928. Main applicant.

   
Swedish Research Council (Formas) 2018. “Acetogenic platform for production of green bulk chemical”. Grant No 2018-01341. Co-applicant.

Awards
2019
Award in the technical-economic class by the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden. “For outstanding research on syntrophic anaerobic microorganisms”

Outreach

Lead author of an op-ed published in Svenska Dagbladet Link to op-ed

Lead author of a policy brief on biogas Link to policy brief

Main supervisor of PhD students
2024 – present  
Martine Ernestine Fischbach, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden
2023 – present  
Malin Tiefensee, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden
2021 – present  
Nils Weng, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden
2021 – present  
Eduardo Pinela, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden
 

Co-supervisor of PhD students
2024 – present  
Luca Bucci, Dept. Chemical Engineering - Process and Environmental Technology Lab, KU Leuven, Belgium
2022 – present  
Piera Wiesinger, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden 
2019 – 2024  
Ebba Perman, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden 
2019 – present
George Cheng, Dep of Molecular Sciences, SLU, Sweden 

Supervision of 9 MSc and BSc students

I have published 37 peer-reviewed articles and two reviews in peer reviewed scientific journals and two book chapters. The publications have received above 1960 citations in total (excluding self citations) yielding and H-index of 26.

https://www.slu.se/en/departments/molecular-sciences/research/microbiolgy-of-the-biogas-process/

By developing new microbial cultivation systems with technological innovations, we want to find methods for better microbial cooperation with the goal of improving and stabilizing biogas systems (funded by the ERC). Follow our work on:

https://www.slu.se/en/departments/molecular-sciences/research-groups/microbial_biotechnology/project-synag/