Biological Lignin Depolymerization

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Michelle O'Malley

Director of Biological Lignin Depolymerization

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Justin Panich

Deputy Director of Biological Lignin Depolymerization

view profile for Deepika Awasthi

Deepika Awasthi

Project Scientist

view profile for Lydia Rachbauer

Lydia Rachbauer

Post Doctoral Researcher

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Paul Wolski

Scientific Engineering Associate

view profile for Amanda  Alker

Amanda Alker

Post Doctoral Researcher

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Shirley Jin

Graduate Student Research Assistant

view profile for Elaine Kirschke

Elaine Kirschke

Project Scientist

view profile for Di Liu

Di Liu

Scientist

view profile for Vikram Mubayi

Vikram Mubayi

Graduate Student Research Assistant

view profile for Saad Naseem

Saad Naseem

Post Doctoral Researcher

view profile for Jaymin Patel

Jaymin Patel

Post Doctoral Researcher

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Ben Rubin

Scientist

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Emili Toppari

Senior Research Associate

view profile for Neha Bansal

Neha Bansal

Post Doctoral Researcher

Natural systems possess many powerful mechanisms for deconstructing lignocellulosic biomass. In the Biological Lignin Depolymerization Group, we use a variety of techniques and systems to harness this power to improve the conversion of plant biomass to biofuels and biochemicals. We focus on the deconstruction and transformation of lignin, the most complex and recalcitrant portion of the plant cell wall. We leverage expertise in cultivating and analyzing microbiomes, isolating key microorganisms and characterizing enzymes to discover new mechanisms for lignin deconstruction. Our work involves close collaborations with the Feedstocks Division to provide plants with lignin modifications and with the Biofuels and Bioproducts Division to convert depolymerized lignin streams with engineered microbes.

Projects

  • Cultivating microbiomes to understand lignin modification and depolymerization during biomass deconstruction
  • Using microbiomes and novel microbial isolates to understand aromatic uptake and conversion
  • Rewiring bacterial metabolism to improve the efficiency of lignocellulose conversion to fuels and chemicals
  • Deciphering fungal mechanisms of lignin conversion and glycoside hydrolase expression
  • Characterizing oxidative enzymes involved in lignin depolymerization
  • Interrogating anaerobic fungi for novel mechanisms for anaerobic lignin deconstruction

Featured Media

Rachbauer Wins First Place at Bay Area Research SLAM Competition

Engineering Enzyme Secretion in Filamentous Fungi

Featured Publications

Featured Intellectual Property

Database of Lignin Modifying Enzymes