Using altered bacteria, alumni of the University of Maastricht’s Faculty of Science and Engineering are aiming to reduce the environmental impact of data centres.
Nemean Biolabs, a start-up founded by three Maastricht grads, aims to reduce the PFAS produced in data centre cooling systems.
Fumi Lesné-Akiyama and Domonkos Barkovits, both from the Maastricht Science Programme, along with Laurin Gschwenter, a Computer Science graduate, launched Nemean Biolabs to support their research and scale production.
Data centres heat management uses PFAS
Because data centres produce so much heat, they require extensive cooling and heat-dissipation systems. Heat exchangers dissipate heat into the outside air, but because they create a warm environment, bacteria can grow rapidly. The solution until now is PFAS coatings on these dissipators, but this presents its own environmental issues with microplastics and chemicals being released into the environment.
Nemean Biolabs’ solution, building on a 2025 project in which 14 Maastricht students took on this challenge, involves genetically modifying bacteria to produce the same proteins found in spider silk, which has strength and antibacterial properties that prevent bacteria from attaching to the surface. The original project proved the concept’s viability, and now the three students must build the business to make it a reality.
Domonkos Barkovits said: “We now focus on building our company. At first, we did extensive research into the problem, the potential of our solution and the market. For our business plan, we decided to change tactics.”
Fumi Lesné-Akiyama added: “We still use synthetic biology, but our coating differs from the one we used during the iGEM project… …it can prevent the attachment of bacteria, and it is fully biodegradable after use.”
Data centres have an overarching PFAS issue
As described by Andie May Hardin, communications intern at the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), data centres have several major sources of PFAS chemicals that can leak to the environment, including cooling systems, semiconductors, and fire suppressants.
Andie writes: “Data centres primarily use PFAS to cool their servers and to suppress fires. Direct PFAS pollution from data centres is difficult to ascertain and likely limited because cooling systems generally run as closed loops. But manufacturing companies that produce the PFAS materials used in data centres have historically emitted PFAS, which harms communities and ecosystems near their facilities.”
They add: “…As of 2026, there is no one direct and all-encompassing avenue for PFAS regulation at the federal level. Existing hallmark legislation, such as the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act all offer opportunities to address PFAS contaminants at various stages and to varying degrees.”
Read more of Andie’s thoughts here.
