Shiwen Zhuang

Dr Shiwen Zhuang is a bioprocess scientist with expertise in fermentation, including general and gas fermentation. His work spans applications in the food, beverage, and biotech sectors. He has worked in academia, large and start-up companies before taking on his current role at Heriot-Watt in 2022, as a member of The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD).

Previously, Shiwen was a Senior Fermentation Scientist at Scotland's Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), where he led a team in scaling up fermentation processes for a variety of industrial and academic clients, and developed the Centre's first fermentation training program.

Prior to that, Shiwen was a Fermentation Engineer at Calysta Ltd. UK, a global leader in sustainable single-cell protein production by fermenting natural gas (>90% CH₄). As a technical lead, Shiwen played a key role in process development using a patented loop fermenter at a demonstration-scale plant. He also established a scaled-down laboratory for gas fermentation, overseeing safety risk assessment, bioreactor and facility design and commissioning. This work laid the groundwork for international technology transfer, which Shiwen helped lead and coordinate in collaboration with investors and global operational teams.

Shiwen holds a Master's degree in Engineering and a PhD in Brewing Science from the University of Nottingham, UK, under the supervision of Dr Chris Powell and Prof Katherine Smart. He conducted postdoctoral research at the National Food Institute of the Technical University of Denmark and Carlsberg Research Laboratory (part of Carlsberg Group) in Copenhagen.

Shiwen's research focuses on sustainability and product innovation in the food, beverage, and biotech sectors, leveraging fermentation technologies and integrating multiple disciplines. His interests include:

• High-gravity fermentation for energy and water savings
• Fermentation-based alternative proteins for food security
• Valorisation of agri-food waste, such as biogenic CO₂ emissions, and distiller's spent grains, contributing to circular economy
• Integration of artificial intelligence in fermentation process optimisation

Current projects:

• Impact of (Very) High Gravity Distilling Fermentation on the Characteristics of Distilled Products and Carbon Footprints (2023-2027; Funders: Diageo and Heriot-Watt Univerisity; Collaborator: University of Edinburgh - School of Informatics)
• From CO₂ to Food: Development of Microbial Biomass as a Novel Food Source (2024-2028; Funders: Albida Agriculture and Heriot-Watt University)

Completed projects:

• Guidance Manual: Responsible & Safe Handling of C1 Gases in Microbiology Laboratories (2022-2024; Funder: BBSRC | Carbon Recycling Network; Partner: Ingenza)