Join us on April 13 at 3:30 p.m. for this Sustainable Energy Seminar presentation by Trey Sato, Senior Scientist at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Wisconsin Energy Institute at UW-Madison.

Abstract

Biofuels produced by microbes from plant biomass offer a promising route to renewable energy. However, this approach faces significant challenges. Plant materials are naturally resistant to breakdown, and the resulting compounds can inhibit microbial growth, limiting the efficiency and overall yield of biofuel production. These barriers have so far prevented biofuels from becoming broadly cost-competitive. Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE) is one means of developing microbial strains with novel traits that improve biofuel production from deconstructed plant material. In this talk, I will provide a brief overview of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center’s mission to provide the scientific information needed to develop a resilient biofuel and bioproduct economy. I will then discuss how my lab utilized ALE to develop yeast strains with improved abilities to convert sugars and tolerate inhibitory compounds in deconstructed plant material. This work highlights how evolutionary approaches can help unlock the potential of renewable bioenergy.

Registration

This event is offered online only through Zoom Webinar. Registration is required through Zoom. Click here to register for this and all other webinars as part of the Sustainable Energy Seminar series in Spring 2026.