Session: Biobased Fuels and Chemicals II: Enzymatic Conversion of Recalcitrant Feedstocks

Biofuels and biochemicals represent a secure, renewable, and environmentally responsible alternative to petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals. Abundant but historically recalcitrant feedstocks such as lignocellulosic biomass, the non-edible portion of plant-derived biomass, are considered as cheap and renewable substrates with great potential in industry microbial fermentation to produce compounds with marginal profit. This session will focus on the biological production of fuels and chemicals from biomass. Projects describing progress on biomass degradation, sugar utilization, lignin utilization and microbial tolerance improvement to the inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates are particularly welcome. Consumption of other inexpensive yet recalcitrant feedstocks such as methane are also welcome.