Michael Botts collaborates with WEI and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) investigators to use automation tools to accelerate the engineering of microbes that improve the profitable conversion of sustainable feedstocks to bioproducts. This work includes designing and validating automated workflows using robotics to carry out novel genetic selection and screening experiments, focusing on the microbial chassis Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymononas mobilis. The result of this work is a better understanding of molecular mechanisms that control microbial stress tolerance and increase flux from feedstocks to bioproducts; informing microbial design efforts that can transform the sustainable production of bioproducts.

In addition to his work with lab automation, Michael oversees operations of the GLBRC metabolomics core facility, which is responsible for performing analytical chemistry assays to measure the conversion of feedstocks to bioproducts. This work includes supporting lab staff in developing and validating new assays to quantify metabolites or bioproducts of interest and maintaining performance of assays that support a large number of GLBRC research projects and investigators.