A BETTER WORLD BEGINS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH

OUR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR THE REAL WORLD : TACKLING PROBLEMS THAT IMPACT SOCIETY , HUMAN LIFE AND OUR PLANET .

Our research changes lives . Through world-leading research and innovation , we are sharing the knowledge to solve the hardest problems around the globe .

Our research opens minds . Researchers here love to share their understanding and inspire you . Here we present just a few examples of our research in action .

New hope in the fight against plastic waste

Imagine a world in which plastics can be made and recycled endlessly . We would be far less reliant on fossil fuels , reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stem the pollution of our environment . Nature is evolving its own solutions to deal with polluting plastics – and scientists at Portsmouth are seeking to speed up the process .

A pioneering team at our Centre for Enzyme Innovation are working with colleagues at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory . In 2018 , they made global headlines after creating a mutant

PETase enzyme that starts to break down plastic bottles in just days , compared to the hundreds of years it takes in the environment . In 2020 , they combined the PETase enzyme with a second enzyme from the same plastic-eating bacteria , MHETase , to create a ‘ super-enzyme ’ that is six times faster at returning plastic to its original building blocks .*

Their ground-breaking work to adapt enzymes for use in industry continues , bringing us ever closer to solutions for the planet ’ s plastic pollution crisis .

Data detective solving hidden mysteries on our plates

Our globalised world generates a bewildering amount of data . Professor Mark Xu says it is vital to manage data smarter – especially , to identify hidden threats to community health and safety .

He is researching the design of a global traceability system to prevent a repeat of events like Britain ’ s horsemeat scandal , when the nation was shocked to discover the true ingredients of some ‘ beef ’ products . With a QR code , consumers would be empowered to view a product ’ s journey from growth , to production , to supermarket .

Revealing our place in the universe

Professor Claudia Maraston travels regularly to the depths of space and the distant past . Her stellar population models help make sense of faraway light emissions .

Studying complex galaxies seemingly formed soon after the Big Bang , she calculates the sum of light under different assumptions . These models help build a picture of our universe long ago . By understanding the physics , composition , size and age of these galaxies , we come closer to the hows and whys of life and the universe .

Eyes in the sky see paths past the storm

When tropical cyclone Harold struck Vanuatu in 2020 , it flooded roads and homes , flattened buildings and grounded ships . Professor Richard Teeuw took action , drawing on his wealth of experience using satellite imagery to aid disaster management .

He examined the devastated islands using daily images from shoebox-sized ‘ cubesat ’ Earth observation satellites . His team mapped damage that could disrupt disaster response , from collapsed bridges to landslide-buried roads ; providing vital assistance to the UN ’ s relief efforts .