Tiny fungi, big potential: Ievgeniia Tiukova on yeast research for sustainable foods
In Sweden, yeast is mainly known for its crucial role in the making of cinnamon buns. For thousands of years, the single-celled fungi have been used in baking and brewing, but nowadays their role as versatile biocatalysts makes them a fascinating subject for innovative studies. In this article, KTH Food researcher Ievgeniia Tiukova explains how yeast can be used in a future biobased economy to supply the global population with foods in an environmentally sustainable way.
The rise of an interest
Dr. Tiukova’s interest in yeast has been the ‘guiding star’ in shaping her path. Her interest in the area was piqued in 2008, when she studied autophagy in the protein-producing yeast cell factory Komagataella (Pichia) pastoris during her master's thesis. The idea of studying and optimising living cells to drive chemical transformations and contribute to global well-being inspired her to pursue a PhD on industrial yeast isolates at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala. Over the past 12 years, she has conducted research in yeast biotechnology across several institutions, and worked with several species of yeast, including biocontrol, oleaginous and ethanol-producing yeasts. Currently, she is leading a Young Research Leader project funded by Formas at the Department of Industrial Biotechnology at KTH.
Turning microbial science into viable solutions
Climate impact, resilience and equity are some of the challenges that the global food system is facing. Dr. Tiukova means that these issues demand a systemic transformation, especially since food systems are responsible for roughly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Because food production is indispensable, we can’t simply reduce the sector; we must fundamentally redesign and optimise it”, she comments.
Dr. Tiukova highlights that, despite ground-breaking research, some issues remain troubling. Despite sufficient global food production, hunger- and malnutrition-related mortality is estimated to be alarmingly high, contributing to millions of deaths each year worldwide. This stark imbalance highlights that the challenge is not only how we produce food, but also how food is distributed and accessed. “We need to think about possibilities for decentralising food production facilities.”
Addressing these challenges requires rethinking the foundations of the food system. Solutions such as microbial food production are not merely technological innovations - they may become important tools for building a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, import-dependent countries - including Sweden - became increasingly aware of risks associated with low food-system resilience and external dependencies. In today’s geopolitical context, these risks are even more pronounced. Creating a resilient food system could mean lessened vulnerability to climate variability and global supply disruptions – and this is where Dr. Tiukova sees big possibilities for contribution.
Microbial food production offers a compelling pathway forward with approaches such as precision fermentation and other forms of so called “cellular agriculture”. By enabling controlled production with substantially reduced dependence on climate, arable land and seasonal growing conditions, these technologies may allow for scalable and local manufacturing of essential food components. This approach has the potential not only to reduce environmental impact but also to strengthen food system resilience.
Nevertheless, biotechnology infrastructure remains insufficient in many areas. Dr. Tiukova's research contributes to the development of novel instrumentation and approaches aimed at reducing costs and accelerating the advancement of microbial biotechnologies. Despite the current challenges facing the field, these technologies remain important for building a more sustainable and resilient future.
AI’s role in yeast research
Currently, one of the most impactful transformations in experimental science is the rise of self-driving labs, also known as robot scientists. Self-driving labs are AI-guided laboratory automation systems that perform a closed-loop cycle of scientific discovery: hypothesis generation, experiment planning and execution, and data analysis. These systems are changing the way science is conducted and may eventually require us to rethink the role of universities in the generation and systematisation of new knowledge.
In a recent study , Dr. Tiukova and her colleagues “collaborated” with robot scientists to study gene function in the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The application of advanced laboratory systems will hopefully accelerate innovation in biotechnology while also reducing the associated costs.
Microbial foods on the table
Dr. Tiukova is one of the organisers of the upcoming Microbial Foods Conference.
When asked about the purpose of the conference, she comments that she often hears microbial food production, including microbial proteins, being discussed as a distant, almost miraculous technology that may only become feasible far in the future. “These conversations reveal how limited the general awareness and understanding of alternative methods for biomanufacturing essential commodities such as food still are, particularly when it comes to microbial production”, she says. “We hope that the Microbial Foods Conference will contribute to raising awareness about microbial food production”.
Although Sweden plays an important role in international industrial biotechnology, the number of domestically manufactured products based on microbial technologies remains relatively small. Food-related microbial biotechnologies represent a vital sector with significant potential for innovation and public benefit. “If imports of soy protein become unreliable, and microbial protein is already recognized as a practical domestic alternative, then we will have succeeded”, she says.
Through this event, Dr. Tiukova hopes to inspire students, researchers, and institutional leaders by exposing them to real-world examples of microbial food innovation. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and hear from biotechnologists who have successfully transformed their ideas into companies focused on the microbial production of food ingredients-often emerging as university spinouts within supportive academic ecosystems.