Strategic Goals

Strategic Goals:

 

The Bioenergy Research Unit contains a fully integrated research program specializing in biochemical conversion of lignocelluloses to sugars, chemicals, and biofuels. The well-balanced program includes both applied and fundamental research.  Scientists in the group work on each major step of the conversion process:  preprocessing, novel enzymes for carbohydrate extraction, and developing commercially relevant microbes for fermentation. The unit also has expertise in process modeling and cost estimation. 

 

Stress-Tolerant Microbes:

Determine the metabolic, physiologic, and genetic fundamentals of microbial stress-tolerance to engineer improved strains and processes leading to lower cost production of biofuels and bioproducts.

 

Industrial Enzymes and Microorganisms:

Develop industrially robust enzymes and microorganisms for lower-cost conversion of agricultural biomass to fuel ethanol and other value-added fermentation products, apply conversion technology to identify superior energy crops.

 

Production of Biofuels & Chemicals from Lignocellulosic Biomass: 

Develop cost-effective pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, fermentation, and downstream processing technologies and their integration for production of biofuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass.