An international team of researchers, led by University of Wisconsin-Madison biochemistry professor Rick Amasino, was awarded $1.47 million to enhance plants’ abilities to mine metals from naturally enriched soils.
In this series, we learn more about what inspired our talented graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, what brought them to their field of study, and the questions that drive their work as part of the Wisconsin Energy Institute and Great Lakes Bioenergy Researc
A UW–Madison graduate student had developed software to help millions of people who rely on prepaid electricity plans make better choices when rationing their energy use.
Loo, the Conway Assistant Professor in chemical and biological engineering, has received a prestigious 2024 Early Career Research Program award from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund her project is aimed at engineering a new type of electrolyte, which could lead to safer, cheaper and more energy-dense battery chemistries.
Some bacteria have features that make them good for understanding biology and for developing new technologies. For example, Zymomonas mobilis, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides can convert carbon from plant fibers into liquid fuels and chemicals traditionally made from petroleum but need to be genetically modified to optimize their output. While straightforward genetic tools have been developed to modify Z. mobilis, it has been more challenging to modify the other two. In this study, researchers expanded the genetic toolkit for N. aromaticivorans and R. sphaeroides, making it easier to adjust the functions of individual genes.
Faculty with the Wisconsin Energy Institute are working with a mechanical engineering professor and industry partners to develop more sustainable heating systems for older buildings.
The goal is to use lignin to produce valuable aromatic chemicals – hexagonal molecules such as benzene, toluene, and xylene – that are currently derived from petroleum as part of the refining process. What sets the project apart is the new reactor design allows scientists to gather data that will help improve the process at larger scales.