Nurfariza Bahrin

BSc (Hons), MSc
Chemical Biology Research Facility
Department of Chemistry
University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL

N.Bahrin@Warwick.ac.uk

Nufariza graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her final year project was on the 'Purification and characterisation of extracellular PHB depolymerase enzyme from bacteria USM DP5'. She continued her studies at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, graduating with an MSc in Biotechnology. For her MSc, Nurfariza researched 'Solid state fermentation of Malaysian rice straws by Pleurotus sajor-caju for animal feed and laccase production'.

Nurfariza's PhD at Warwick's Chemical Biology department is currently focusing on screening and isolating novel lignin degrading enzymes from environmental samples.

Industrial lignin is a very complex substance produced by some paper industries and bioethanol refineries. If the degredation of lignin by bacteria could be harnessed and controlled it could be very beneficial for the production of fine chemicals. Also, the physical and chemical treatments currently employed to breakdown lignocellulose are not environmentally friendly, thus a biological treatment would provide a green alternative.

My interest in lignocellulose degradation started since my MSc years working on rice-straw degradation as Malaysia produces tons of it annually. Now, joining Professor Bugg's group, the research continues with new assay techniques that they have developed.