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Graphic illustration showing the breakdown of bioenergy crops into lignin polymers and polysaccharides, which are further processed into lignin monomers and sugars, respectively. The end products of this processing pipeline are bioproducts and specialty biofuels.
Efficient biomass conversion

Outlining an integrated pipeline from biomass to bioproduct

A new study from the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center describes a complete lignin-to-bioproduct pipeline that could produce high yields of a target chemical with high potential value as a platform chemical to make adhesives, plastics, and other biopolymers.

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| Mark E. Griffin

“We know more about Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or brewer’s yeast, than just about any other organism,” says Francesca Gambacorta, a graduate student in Brian Pfleger’s lab at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. 

| Jill Sakai
A new study from the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center describes a complete lignin-to-bioproduct pipeline that could produce high yields of a target chemical with high potential value as a platform chemical to make adhesives, plastics, and other biopolymers.
| Molly A. Seltzer

Biomass can be used to sustainably produce common chemicals instead of oil, but it is unclear which chemicals are most crucial to replace. Now, a Princeton researcher has created a way to rank the chemicals based on the carbon emissions of their production processes.

| Jill Sakai
An analysis of the environmental impacts of producing corn ethanol reveals that carbon emissions from using land to grow corn can offset or even negate the potential climate advantages of corn ethanol relative to gasoline. The results add urgency to the work at GLBRC and other bioenergy research centers to develop next-generation biofuels from perennial, non-food crops, grown on land less suited for conventional agriculture.
| Mary Riker
This week we spoke with Amy Enright, a graduate student in Jason Peters' lab at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to talk about why she came to UW-Madison, her research on the microbe Zymomonas mobilis, and her advice for interested graduate students.
| Chris Barncard

Thirteen University of Wisconsin­–Madison scholars have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

| Igor Houwat and Kara Headley

MSU scientists have developed a new gene discovery method that is helping them to understand how plants recover from stressful situations in their environments. The approach, which covers big data sets spanning thousands of genes and hundreds of interactions between DNA and proteins, has long-term implications for agricultural productivity and the breeding of more resilient crops.

| Olga Kuchment

The world faces an increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a shortage of carbon in the soil. However, bioenergy sorghum can provide meaningful relief from both problems, according to a new study by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists.

Julia Martien’s philosophy in life is to have fun while trying to make the world a better place. That includes the work she did for her graduate study as part of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

| Mary Riker
This week we spoke with Leta Landucci, an undergraduate researcher in John Ralph's lab at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to talk about her research into popular tree enzymes, how her research connects with plant engineering, and her experience working with talented scientists.

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