Foreword: Advances in “Polymer/Fibre Biotechnology”

Abstract

Biotechnology has been applied as a valuable tool to produce useful bio-based products from non-petrochemical renewable resources. Biologically produced polymers present advantages related with the biodegradability, performance, cheapness of substrate and defined structural variability. Beyond that, enzymes, the most proficient catalysts, continue to offer the most competitive processes compared with the chemical ones. Advances in protein engineering technology and the environmental and economic requirements contribute for the continuous search of acceptable biotechnological solutions for the areas, including, polymer and textile, medical, pharmaceutical, among others. New trends and strategies have been highlighted in recent studies leading to significant advances in enzyme biocatalysis.