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Current research focuses on the production of biobutanol, a second-generation biofuel, as part of the biorefinery concept. Future research will also include the sustainable production of other chemicals, such as building blocks for biopolymers, and precursors for pharmaceuticals from renewable resources.

The feedstock for second generation biofuels will be waste streams from industrial and agricultural processes and lignocellulosic biomass. This stands in contrast to food crops such as corn currently used in bioethanol production. Lignocellulosic biomass (plant biomass such as lumber infected with mountain pine beetle) requires initial enzymatic conversion into fermentable sugars followed by microbial fermentation into biobutanol or other products.

The enzymatic step can be carried out in the presence of ionic liquids, which have been shown to dissolve the lignin fraction of wood. This might potentially eliminate the need for additional energy intensive pre-treatment such as acid catalyzed steam-explosion, but requires careful selection of reaction medium and biocatalyst.

Further attention is placed on in-situ product removal and process compression, as well as on reactor design and mathematical modeling.

The research is highly interdisciplinary and there are openings for new graduate students.

Keywords: Biochemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Green Process Engineering, Bioenergy, Biofuels, Lignocellulose Processing, Biopolymers, Bioreactor Design, In-situ Product Recovery, Environmental Engineering

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