Shiwen Zhuang

Dr Shiwen Zhuang is a fermentation scientist with PhD in Brewing Science and industrial experience across the brewing and biotechnology sectors. He has worked in Carlsberg (Denmark), Calysta (UK) and Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) before joining Heriot-Watt in 2022, as a member of the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD).

Previously, Shiwen was a Senior Fermentation Scientist and Team Leader at IBioIC, where he grew a fermentation team and led multiple client-facing fermentation scale-up projects from laboratory to pilot scale. He also designed and delivered the Centre's first fermentation training program for both academic and industrial users.

Prior to this, Shiwen was a Fermentation Engineer at Calysta UK Ltd, a global leader in sustainable single-cell protein production by fermenting natural gas (>90% methane). Shiwen co-led process development using a patented loop fermenter at a market introduction facility that underpinned successful commercialisation. He also led the development of a scaled-down gas fermentation bioreactor and laboratory, and supported international technology transfer in collaboration with investors and global operational teams. 

Shiwen is the leading author of a UKRI-funded guidance manual establishing a national best-practice framework for safety and risk management in gas fermentation research.

Shiwen's research focuses on sustainable biomanufacturing of food and beverages through fermentation, with particular interest in yeast, process optimisation and sustainability.

• Yeast fermentation for beverage innovation
• Fermentation (including gas fermentation) for alternative proteins in food and feed
• Bioprocess optimisation and scale-up
• Valorisation of agri-food side-stream
• Data-driven process optimisation

Shiwen has received funding from UK Research and Innovation (BBSRC, EPSRC), Scottish Funding Council, and industrial collaborators.

Current projects:

• Valorisation of dairy industry by-products (2025-2026; Funders: Scottish Funding Council | Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre; Industrial collaborator: Take Root Bio Ltd)  
• Impact of (Very) High Gravity Distilling Fermentation on the Characteristics of Distilled Products and Carbon Footprints (2023-2027; Funders: Diageo and Heriot-Watt University; Academic collaborator: University of Edinburgh - School of Informatics)
• From CO₂ to Food: Development of Microbial Biomass as a Novel Food Source (2024-2028; Funders: EPSRC, 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)

• Scientific Management Team member for National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre
• Reviewer for Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists