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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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| Massie S. Ballon, Joint Genome Institute

Despite advances in sequencing technologies and computational methods in the past decade, researchers have uncovered genomes for just a small fraction of Earth’s microbial diversity. Because most microbes cannot be cultivated under laboratory conditions, their genomes can’t be sequenced using traditional approaches.

| Mary Magnuson

For farmers struggling against economic forces and doing everything they can to keep afloat, grassland biodiversity may be the last thing they want to worry about.

| Dae Kwan Ko and Federica Brandizzi
Scientists have identified new transcription factor networks and their dynamic activities that protect the endoplasmic reticulum in situations requiring the production of large quantities of proteins.
An international research collaboration led by VIB-UGent Professor Wout Boerjan, and involving the U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, has opened up new possibilities for stably fine-tuning the amount of lignin in poplar by applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
| Staff

A new process developed by researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center enables the production of a new platform chemical—a building block which can be converted to a variety of higher value products—from biomass-derived fructose.

| Brian Mattmiller

MADISON — A national research initiative announced today will place the University of Wisconsin–Madison at the forefront of a revolution in imaging fostered by cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography — technologies that can illuminate life at the atomic scale.

| Jill Sakai
Keegstra Fellow Kyle Kinney is working with Jason Peters and Tim Donohue to develop genetic and synthetic biology tools for several bioenergy-relevant bacteria.
| Mark E. Griffin

The goal of replacing petroleum-based chemicals and fuels with plant-based products hinges on using as much of the plant matter as possible to keep costs and waste to a minimum.

| Jason Daley

On July 5, 2020, Karen and William Monfre Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Jennifer Reed passed away at age 41 after a protracted struggle with cancer. Reed’s passing is a tragic loss for the university and devastating for the colleagues, students, friends and family members who loved and respected her.

| Jill Sakai
As the Keegstra Bioenergy Research Fellow exploring the sorghum microbiome, Marco Mechan-Llontop is working with Ashley Shade at Michigan State University and John Mullet at Texas A&M.

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