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Cells are depicted in six panels with cell components tinted for clarity: cell walls are cyan and magenta. PHB granules are green and PP granules yellow. The top row of untreated cells have multiple small PHB and PP granules while the bottom row of treated cells have only one or two much larger granules arranged at the extremeties of the cell.
Sustainable Biomass Conversion

3D imaging reveals inner workings of bacterial cells

University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists used advanced microscopic imaging to better understand the structure and function of these granules and their roles in microbial biology. They found that stunting cell growth caused bacteria to accumulate significantly more PHB and PP concentrated in larger granules, suggesting the organelles play a role in stress response. 

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| Celia Luterbacher

Last year, biofuel researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) published a study on an accelerated process for converting cellulosic—or non-food—plant biomass to ethanol in a quarter of the time it usually takes.

| Heather Heggemeier, Celia Luterbacher

For 10 weeks during the summer of 2013, six students participated in GLBRC's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at UW-Madison. They came from as far away as Puerto Rico, and all were low income, minority, and/or first in their family to attend college.

| Celia Luterbacher

For nearly a decade, scientists have thought that they understood how plants produce lignin—a compound that gives plant tissues their structure and sturdiness, but can limit their use as a source of biofuels.

| Celia Luterbacher

On July 22nd, more than 80 congressional staff members gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC for a Q&A-style briefing intended to update the House Science and National Labs Caucus on the latest progress of the Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Rese

| Celia Luterbacher

A new biomass breakdown method being developed by researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) and the Los Alamos

| Matt Wisniewski and Heather Heggemeier

Jacob Backhaus

Jacob Backhaus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison talks about what researchers are looking for in an ideal renewable fuel that could replace fossil fuels without any perceivable difference to the consumer.

| Celia Luterbacher

The flight of stairs between the ground floor and the basement of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Engineering Research Building separates a tranquil academic hallway from what looks—and smells—like a busy mechanic’s garage.

| Great Lakes Bioenergy

MADISON - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the University of Wisconsin-Madison $25 million per year to fund the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) for another five years.

| Matt Wisniewski

Brian Pfleger

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center researcher and University of Wisconsin-Madison Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Brian Pfleger explains what "fixed" carbon is.

Tom Jeffries is a scientist in the truest sense of the word. His passion for studying biofuel is evident as he describes is 40-year career in the field, yet he emphasizes that he is careful not to favor one technology over another.

Instead, Jeffries relies on pragmatism to guide his research.

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