The flow-through reaction setup progressively dissolves biomass producing fractions that are rich in (from left to right) lignin monomers, hemicellulose and cellulose-derived sugars. Photo by Matthew Wisniewski

Great Lakes Bioenergy

Great Lakes Bioenergy is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded research center dedicated to developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts.

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Who We Are

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison. With Michigan State University and other partners, we are developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts made from dedicated energy crops grown on marginal lands. Our mission is simple: creating biofuels and bioproducts that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Research Themes

Sustainable cropping systems

Engineering bioenergy crops to enhance their environmental and economic value

Generating multiple products from plant biomass

Understanding and optimizing the field-to-product pipeline

Postdoc spotlight: Samuel Chagas

A researcher wearing black gloves works among mature sorghum plants in a greenhouse, examining stalks.

Samuel Chagas is a postdoctoral researcher in Rebecca Smith’s lab, where he studies the composition of plant cell walls in sorghum and corn to develop crops that are easier to digest, whether for biofuel or animal feed.

GLBRC honors researchers for mentorship

A woman and a man in white lab coats look at petri dishes in a laboratory

In addition to carrying out basic science, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center serves as a training ground for the next generation of scientists, with more than 1,500 trainees who have gone on to work in academia, government, and industry roles.