Manuel finished his PhD Degree in Biotechnology at University College Dublin (UCD) in 2024. Now he continues his scientific journey as a postdoctoral researcher with BiOrbic on the ReBioCycle project, aiming to close the loop in recycling biodegrabale plastics. To achieve this goal, he is working with metabolic engineering and systems biotechnology methods as well in as bioprocess engineering and scale-up. These include fermentations at various scales, omics-techniques and bioinformatic skills such as flux analysis and further mathematical assays using MATLAB and Python. Beyond the direct application of its principles, he has a keen interest in understanding microbial metabolism and the energetics within. Outside of lab-based work, he has an interest in project management, teaching and public engagement, having run multiple courses on sustainability for a general audience.