Microbial engineering has made a significant breakthrough in pharmaceutical biotechnology, greatly expanding the production of biologically active compounds, therapeutic proteins, and novel drug candidates. Recent advancements in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and adaptive evolution have contributed to the optimization of microbial strains for pharmaceutical applications, playing a crucial role in enhancing their productivity and stability. The CRISPR-Cas system is widely utilized as a precise genome modification tool, enabling the enhancement of metabolite biosynthesis and the activation of synthetic biological pathways. Additionally, synthetic biology approaches allow for the targeted design of microorganisms with improved metabolic efficiency and therapeutic potential, thereby accelerating the development of new pharmaceutical products. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) plays a vital role in further advancing microbial engineering by predicting metabolic network interactions, optimizing bioprocesses, and accelerating the drug discovery process. However, challenges such as the efficient optimization of metabolic pathways, ensuring sustainable industrial-scale production, and meeting international regulatory requirements remain critical barriers in the field. Furthermore, to mitigate potential risks, it is essential to develop stringent biocontainment strategies and implement appropriate regulatory oversight. This review comprehensively examines recent innovations in microbial engineering, analyzing key technological advancements, regulatory challenges, and future development perspectives.

Recent advances in computational biology have provided powerful tools for analyzing, modeling, and optimizing probiotic microorganisms, thereby supporting their development as promising agents for improving human health. The essential role of the microbiota in regulating physiological processes and preventing disease has driven interest in the rational design of next-generation probiotics. This review highlights progress in in silico approaches for enhancing the functionality of probiotic strains. Particular attention is given to genome-scale metabolic models, advanced simulation algorithms, and AI-driven tools that provide deeper insight into microbial metabolism and enable precise probiotic optimization. The integration of these methods with multi-omics data has greatly improved our ability to predict strain behavior and design probiotics with specific health benefits. Special focus is placed on modeling probiotic–prebiotic interactions and host–microbiome dynamics, which are essential for the development of functional food products. Despite these achievements, key challenges remain, including limited model accuracy, difficulties in simulating complex host–microbe systems, and the absence of unified standards for validating in silico-optimized strains. Addressing these gaps requires the development of integrative modeling platforms and clear regulatory frameworks. This review provides a critical overview of current advances, identifies existing barriers, and outlines future directions for the application of computational strategies in probiotic research.

One of the most promising ways to utilize wastes from the oil extracting and oil refining industries, in particular oil sludge, is their processing into valuable construction and road materials. Solving this issue can help reduce the negative impact on the environment, rational use of natural resources and improve the state’s economy. In this regard, it is important to conduct research on the physical and chemical properties and thermal characteristics of oil sludge samples taken at oil refineries of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the possibility of using them as an additive for bitumen grade BND 70/100.

Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) and microbial biocontrol agents have emerged as key tools for improving crop productivity while maintaining environmental sustainability. However, central questions remain regarding which factors determine their consistent field performance and how these factors interact under real agronomic conditions. Previous research has demonstrated that PGPMs enhance nutrient acquisition, regulate phytohormone balance, improve stress tolerance, and suppress plant pathogens through diverse biochemical and ecological mechanisms. Advances in omics technologies, genome mining, and synthetic microbial communities have further expanded understanding of their functional potential. Nevertheless, many studies rely on laboratory-scale experiments or short-term trials, with limited multi-season and cross-regional validation. This gap contributes to inconsistent field outcomes and restricts large-scale agricultural adoption. Long-term multi-season validation and reproducibility assessment remain essential priorities for improving reliability of microbial agricultural products. This review synthesizes recent advances in PGPM-based biofertilizers and microbial biocontrol technologies, critically examining their mechanisms of action, scalability constraints, formulation challenges, and regulatory limitations. It identifies major translational barriers, including context dependency, mechanistic uncertainties, reproducibility gaps, and insufficient systems-level integration.

The valorization of industrial solid wastes into construction materials represents an important pathway toward resource efficiency and carbon reduction in the building sector. In this study, sustainable kaolinitic clay-based ceramics were developed using ternary blends of steel slag (SS), coal fly ash (CFA), and recycled waste glass bottle-derived powder (WGBP). The effects of WGBP content and firing temperature on phase evolution, microstructural development, densification behavior, and key physico-mechanical properties were systematically investigated. The results show that at intermediate temperatures (1000–1100 °C), the addition of 5 wt% WGBP promotes liquid-phase sintering, leading to enhanced densification, reduced water absorption, and compressive strengths up to 44 MPa, whereas higher glass contents at elevated temperature induce over-fluxing and pore entrapment, reducing strength despite comparable density. XRD, FTIR, and SEM analyses confirm the progressive vitrification and structural reorganization of the aluminosilicate matrix. The sustainability assessment identifies the 5 wt% WGBP formulation as the most balanced option, combining adequate mechanical performance with lower energy demand and CO₂ emissions. Overall, the proposed approach provides a technically viable and resource-efficient route for the integrated utilization of multiple industrial wastes in construction ceramics.

Using oil sludge to rejuvenate reclaimed asphalt pavement improves thermal stability, reduces oxidation, and enhances physical properties for sustainable road construction.