Scientists Launch Four-Million-Euro Study to Make Yeast Live Longer
Wageningen, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
Researchers at Wageningen University received €4 million in EU funding to investigate why yeast cells die and how to extend their lifespan across four different species. Thirteen PhD students across seven European institutions will work to unlock cellular death mechanisms, potentially revolutionizing biotechnology production processes for medicines, food proteins, and biofuels by keeping industrial yeast alive longer.
Biotechnology Innovation with Industrial Applications
This research represents a significant advancement in biotechnology, specifically targeting agritech and healthtech sectors through improved yeast production systems [1]. The project launched on February 17, 2026, under the leadership of Mark Bisschops, a university lecturer in Bioprocess Engineering and project coordinator at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands [1]. The initiative focuses on extending the operational lifespan of yeast cells used in industrial biotechnology processes, which could transform how companies manufacture everything from life-saving pharmaceuticals to sustainable food proteins and renewable biofuels [1]. The research addresses a fundamental challenge in biotechnology: yeast cells currently die too quickly during industrial production processes, limiting efficiency and increasing costs across multiple sectors [1].
The Science Behind Cellular Longevity
The research team will investigate four distinct yeast species: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast), Komagataella phaffii, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Debaryomyces hansenii [1]. Current scientific understanding of molecular pathways leading to cell death primarily stems from research on Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone [1]. Bisschops explained the project’s core objective: “We want to do as much as possible with each yeast cell. To achieve this, we need to get the yeast to live longer and continue producing” [1]. The research will focus on identifying and understanding the molecular routes and genes involved in yeast cell death, with the ultimate goal of blocking these pathways to extend cellular lifespan [1]. The team recognizes that different yeast species, originating from vastly different environments, respond differently to environmental factors such as temperature and salt concentration [1].
International Collaboration and Funding Structure
The ambitious project secured approximately €4 million in funding from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network, supported by Horizon Europa, which Bisschops received in 2025 [1]. Starting in 2026, thirteen PhD students will conduct research across seven European institutions: Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, Universidade de Minho in Portugal, Technical University of Denmark, Acib in Austria, Imperial College in the United Kingdom, University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy, and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden [1]. The recruitment of PhD students began in February 2026, marking the operational launch of this international collaboration [1]. Bisschops reflected on the project’s scale: “I had to pinch myself. I had been carrying this idea around for a long time, and the fact that we can now execute it on such a scale is fantastic” [1].
Economic and Environmental Impact Potential
The research aims to identify both shared and species-specific cell death mechanisms across the four yeast varieties, which could unlock significant efficiency gains in biotechnology production [1]. Bisschops emphasized the strategic importance of understanding these differences: “Those differences make them interesting. We want to know which cell death mechanisms are shared and which are species-specific” [1]. The project’s PhD students will participate in internships at other research groups and industrial partners, investigating genetic routes and process conditions in reactors to understand how cell death activates in each yeast species [1]. The research could potentially launch more efficient production processes that better compete with traditional fossil fuel-based manufacturing methods [1]. Additionally, the project provides multidisciplinary training for a new generation of scientists who could assume leadership roles in European biotechnology in the future [1].