Biotechnebryo Industries

Project Overview

University

Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología – UTEC

Year

2025

About

Plastic waste, especially expanded polystyrene (EPS), clogs waterways and landfills in Peru due to limited waste management. This project uses Tenebrio molitor larvae to degrade EPS: the larvae break down the plastic physically, while gut microbes digest it biologically. The process yields a nutrient-rich organic biofertilizer, closing the loop by turning pollution into agricultural input. It offers a safe, scalable, and low-cost alternative to incineration, with strong potential for community-led environmental regeneration

Team

Luz Narciza Pérez-Tulich

Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología – UTEC

Biologist graduated from the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (Arequipa – Peru). Master of Science with a mention in immunology from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima- Peru). I have experience in Microbiology, Biomaterials, Cell Cultures and 3D Bioprinting. Currently, I am responsible for the Tissue Engineering and Synthetic Biology Laboratory at the Universidad de Ingenieria y Tecnologia – UTEC (Lima- Peru).

Francesca Rivas Cuestas

Maricielo Paloma Vilchez Pascual

Sebastian Nicolas Guerrero Alejos

Sebastián Guerrero is a Bioengineering student, researcher, and innovator passionate about microbial genetics and bioinformatics. He currently leads Biotechnebryos Industries, an award-winning initiative that employs insects and extremophilic bacteria to transform plastics into biofertilizers, fostering sustainability and circular economy. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with the laboratories of Valle Grande University and UTEC to evaluate the microbiome of Tenebrio molitor for its ability to depolymerize polystyrene and use it as a carbon source. With experience in synthetic biology and environmental biotechnology, Sebastián aims to turn science into solutions that tackle pollution and strengthen global food security.