Diane Purchase

Prof Diane Purchase is a Professor of Environmental Biotechnology at Middlesex University, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Natural Sciences department. She specializes in applying environmental biotechnology to safeguard human and environmental health, with a focus on pollution control, microbial enzymatic degradation, and circular economy strategies. Her research includes e-waste management, biocementation for ground improvement, and rare earth element recovery. She has supervised 11 PhD students and currently oversees four projects on topics such as construction waste management and biosurfactant applications.

Prof Purchase holds fellowships from the Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Institution of Environmental Sciences. She is a Titular Member of IUPAC and serves on editorial boards for journals like Environmental Geochemistry and Health. Her teaching includes modules on environmental pollution and employability at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She led the MSc Environmental Pollution Control Programme from 1997 to 2016.

Her recent publications span biocementation, e-waste regulation, and microbial degradation mechanisms. She has received over 100 citations and is actively involved in global initiatives addressing environmental challenges, including roles in the UK Quality Assurance Agency and international editorial committees. Her work emphasizes sustainable solutions for pollution and waste management through interdisciplinary collaboration.