Building on previous work using RCF to deconstruct poplar, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research scientists evaluated six solvents in pure form and in varying mixtures with water and used the results to develop a computational model for solvent selection. The results showed a 50/50 mixture of methanol and water performed the best because it reduces reactor pressure and doesn't interfere with the microbes and lowers the break-even cost of the product by 24%.

Chris Kucharik, professor of plant and agroecosystem sciences and investigator with the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI),

Scientists in Jason Peters' lab have patented genetic tools used to study and modify bacteria that power production of biofuels and chemicals made from plant fiber.

A research assistant in Victor Ujor’s lab, Eric Agyeman-Duah is a doctoral student in the food science program at UW Madison.

Building on previous work evaluating stepwise processing, scientists with the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center sought to improve the results with a biorefinery design that combines the first two steps, separating lignin from sugars and breaking into useable pieces with the help of a metal catalyst.

From microbes to cement and atomic-scale modeling to statewide weather monitoring, Wisconsin Energy Institute researchers use both cutting edge and tried-and-true technologies to expand basic knowledge and apply it to real-world problems. Here are a few of the highlights from 2025:

University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists have developed a new method for efficiently pinpointing genes that help microbes resist toxic chemicals, which could enable innovations in biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture.