Post by Novo Nordisk Foundation

Vincent Eijsink is awarded the 2026 Novonesis Biotechnology Prize for pioneering discoveries that changed how scientists understand the breakdown of some of nature’s most resistant biological materials. His research revealed that biomass such as plant cellulose and chitin from fungi, insects, and shells is not degraded by conventional enzymes alone. Instead, he identified a class of oxidative enzymes - now known as lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases - that open these rigid structures and make them accessible for further breakdown. The discovery transformed the understanding of biomass conversion and laid the foundation for more efficient use of plant-based waste in fuels, chemicals, and materials.

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