The Biosolutions Bulletin

Hosted by Novonesis

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Latest episode

Nov 2026

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EN-US

About the show

What are biosolutions? Where do they come from? How do they work? What would the world look like without them? Get the answers to these questions and more from the monthly Biosolutions Bulletin. Whether you’re an expert who wants to keep on top of the latest innovations or just starting to learn about biosolutions, we’ve got you covered. With stories ranging from the role of biosolutions in food security to how they enable NOMA-style dining experiences, there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss out on the latest news about how biosolutions better our world. Sign up to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.thebiosolutionsbulletin.com/

Listen to episodes

33 recent

November 3, 2026Episode 117 min

Did she coin “Biosolutions”? Meet the scientist who was thinking this way in 1999 | Biosolutions

Long before biosolutions became part of today’s innovation conversations, Professor Gabrielle J. Persley was asking a deceptively simple question: not what can biotechnology do, but what problems can biology help solve? In this special edition of The Biosolutions Bulletin, we meet the scientist who used the word “biosolution” almost three decades ago in her quest to harness biology to address food insecurity and poverty in developing regions. In 1999, Persley and her late husband, Dr John J. Doyle, were among the first to use the term to describe the successful application of modern biotechnology to real-world challenges. We explore how that early vision has expanded to include climate resilience, food and health security, sustainable agriculture, and increasingly complex global challenges. Drawing on a career spanning more than five decades, Persley reflects on her journey from studying plant diseases and cassava bacterial blight to shaping international development and science policy. At the heart of her work is the belief that solutions must begin with people and the problems they face. “The solutions are very local,” she says. Scientific capability must exist where problems exist, with farmers, consumers, markets, and communities helping to define what successful innovation looks like. Persley also discusses demand-led breeding, the potential of crops such as sorghum and cassava, and why biology must be understood as far more than a narrow debate about genetically modified crops. She examines the roles of trust, public understanding, regulation, education, and public investment in connecting scientific discovery with meaningful impact. Ultimately, biosolutions are not simply about biotechnology or innovation. They are about connecting biological knowledge with human needs and using the best of science not only to understand the world, but to improve it. For the full experience, read the article while listening: https://www.novonesis.com/en/news/the-biosolutions-bulletin-17-did-she-coin-biosolutions This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

July 16, 2026Episode 327 min

Creating the right conditions for biosolutions to take root | Biosolutions

Even the best biosolutions won’t scale if people can’t see, understand or trust them — so what makes them take root? In this final part of a three-part series, we explore what it takes for a new way of producing to gain acceptance. Trust, familiarity, and public perception can be just as important as science and regulation. Biosolutions hold immense promise. Yet their wider adoption remains uneven, shaped by challenges that are not always immediately visible. In part two, Biology, Regulation, and the pace of progress , we traced one of these: how a history shaped by fear, uncertainty, and earlier experiences with industrial chemicals continue to influence how biotechnology is regulated today, and in turn, how biosolutions are used and deployed. But regulation is only part of the story. There are other forces at play that are less tangible but just as influential. They lie in how we understand biology, how societies, policymakers and consumers respond to what feels unfamiliar, and how new ways of producing are communicated, interpreted, and trusted over time. For the full experience, read the article while listening: https://www.novonesis.com/en/news/the-biosolutions-bulletin-16-creating-right-conditions-biosolutions-take-root . This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

July 16, 2026Episode 225 min

Biology, Regulation, and the pace of progress | Biosolutions

If biosolutions are ready, why are legacy regulatory systems still slowing their path into the real world? In this second part of a three-part series, we examine the role regulation plays in the pace of biosolutions adoption. It explores how governance, risk perception, and regulatory systems influence innovation, while recognizing that the primary purpose of these systems — safeguarding people and the environment — must never be compromised. At the same time, it considers why identifying smarter ways to support innovation within these protective frameworks is becoming increasingly important. Biosolutions hold immense potential. They are already deployed across multiple industries producing a wide range of everyday products. The scientific and policy literature on their promise is extensive, and rapid advances in biotechnology continue to expand that potential. Yet their widespread adoption continues to lag behind. For the full experience, read the article while listening: https://www.novonesis.com/en/news/the-biosolutions-bulletin-16-biology-regulation-and-pace-progress This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

July 16, 2026Episode 125 min

Rethinking industrial production in the age of biology | Biosolutions

What if the next industrial revolution doesn’t come from extracting more—but from producing more like nature does? In part one of this three-part series, we take a step back to the origins of modern production, following how early material transformation developed into today’s industrial systems, and how biology is now beginning to emerge as an alternative way of making and transforming materials. The condition of the planet today invites for reflection. Materials that define modern life, such as plastics, industrial chemicals, fertilizers, and fossil fuels, have made our lives easier, more productive, and more globally connected than ever before. They have helped increase food production, enabled new industries, and supported rising living standards across much of the world. Yet these same innovations and the way we produce them are also closely tied to many of the environmental challenges we face today. For the full experience, read the article while listening: https://www.novonesis.com/en/news/the-biosolutions-bulletin-16-rethinking-industrial-production-age-biology This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

April 13, 2026Episode 119 min

Who let the dogs in?

How did pets evolve from independent, working animals to cherished family members, and what does a 100% human-managed life mean for their health and well-being? In this article, we’ll be tracing their journey from helpers to furry family. Do you have a pet dog at home? When was the last time your dog helped you hunt a fowl or a fox, marched beside you into battle, or carried you across snowy landscapes on a sled? Most probably, never. For most of human history, dogs, and pets in general, were valued primarily for what they did, not simply for who they were. The transformation of pets from useful companions into deeply loved family members is relatively recent. Interestingly, this shift is also connected to a growing set of health challenges seen in modern pets, which we’ll explore later. Today, many kinds of animals live in human homes, but dogs and cats remain the most common companions. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

April 13, 2026Episode 224 min

There’s a biosolution for … man’ best friend

Feeding our furry friends is a careful balancing act: Pet food must be irresistible enough that they eat it consistently, yet also provide the nutrition they need to thrive. Crafting food that hits both marks is one of the central challenges of modern pet nutrition — and enzymes and microbes are playing an important role in this equation. Pets do not choose what they eat. Their daily nourishment depends entirely on what we place in their bowl, and that makes feeding far more than a routine task. To keep pets eating it day after day, pet food must not only be appealing; it must also deliver the essential nutrients they need to function properly and enjoy life with their families. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

February 4, 2026Episode 213 min

Rethinking the materials that hold the modern world together

The widespread use of cement and bitumen (the binding ingredient in asphalt) has shaped the buildings we live in and the roads we travel on, making modern infrastructure possible. But it has also created a deep dependence on fossil fuels and energy-intensive production. To appreciate why alternatives like those explored in “Biosolutions beneath our feet” are being considered, it helps to first examine how these conventional materials came to dominate — and the challenges that now accompany their continued use. In this episode of the Biosolutions Bulletin by Novonesis, you will learn how we could rethink the materials that hold the modern world together. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

February 4, 2026Episode 122 min

Biosolutions beneath our feet: How fungi are rewriting roads and pavements

What if the materials holding our roads and pavements together didn’t come from burning fuel or melting rock — but from life itself? In conventional infrastructure, binders like cement and bitumen rely on force. Fungal binders work differently: they don’t need heat or chemistry. Instead, the fungus spreads through sand, gravel, and stone, weaving a dense, interwoven network that binds the particles together with strength born from entanglement and natural adhesion. It sounds almost magical — yet it is biology, not fantasy, quietly shaping the roads beneath our feet. In this episode of the Biosolutions Bulletin by Novonesis you will learn about biosolutions beneath our feet and how fungi are rewriting toads and pavements. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

December 2, 2025Episode 217 min

Pulp nonfiction: The story of paper and why it still matters

With biosolutions taking the center stage, it’s the story of how an industry once defined by heavy machinery and chemical use began learning from the lightest touch in nature. From its first known sheets in China, paper has played an indispensable role in human life, and for almost 1,800 years, the possible environmental and health impacts of its production went largely unnoticed. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin

December 2, 2025Episode 116 min

When biology entered the paper mill

Paper has been part of our lives for centuries, carrying everything from love letters to laws, poetry and packaging. Paper is one of the world’s oldest materials — and one of its next frontiers for sustainable innovation. As mills face rising pressure to cut water use, energy, and emissions, biosolutions are emerging as game changers helping make papermaking cleaner and more efficient. This audio article is part of The Biosolutions Bulletin. For the text version of this article and to get The Biosolutions Bulletin delivered monthly directly to your inbox, please go to: https://www.novonesis.com/en/biosolutions-bulletin