Microbial Biotechnology
Campaign name: Harnessing Microbial Production to Advance Bioeconomy and Biotechnology (Microbial Biotechnology)
Microbial processes are increasingly recognized as powerful tools to address societal challenges and enable the rapidly growing U.S. bioeconomy. Microorganisms produce a diverse array of biochemicals, including enzymes, small molecules, and secondary metabolites, many of which are valuable for manufacturing specialized chemicals and biofuels, creating next-generation materials, and enhancing critical minerals extraction and processing. These microorganisms hold great promise for accelerating industrial applications and driving innovative biotechnologies.
A central challenge lies in the discovery and characterization of the microbial pathways and networks responsible for these valuable products. The microbial production of biochemicals depends on complex metabolic networks that are regulated by molecular and environmental inputs. Unraveling these networks and identifying the key biomolecules of interest require cutting-edge tools and multidisciplinary expertise.
The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) is leading a campaign titled “Harnessing Microbial Production to Advance Bioeconomy and Biotechnology (Microbial Biotechnology)” that will leverage EMSL’s expertise, systems biology approaches, and advanced instrumentation to pioneer microbial solutions that address pressing energy and industrial challenges.
This campaign is expected to advance the fundamental understanding of the microbial synthesis of bioeconomy- and biotechnology-relevant products. Research efforts will contribute to building efficient, scalable, biologically driven approaches to manufacturing and energy production in line with the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) bioeconomy and biotechnology goals.
Instruments and resources
The campaign will leverage EMSL’s specialized instrumentation and resources to explore microbial production mechanisms. Imaging capabilities at EMSL will enable direct observation of microbial enzymes and complexes, shedding light on the molecular machinery driving biochemical synthesis. In parallel, experiments will assess the microbial production of molecules under variable environmental and bioprocessing conditions, providing a deeper understanding of the molecular determinants that influence the biological responses and challenges associated with environments present in industrial and bioreactor settings.
Key EMSL capabilities that may be used in this campaign include:
- advanced mass spectrometry
- nuclear magnetic resonance
- cryo-electron microscopy
- microspectroscopy
- other proteomics and metabolomics tools.
Collaboration with computational modeling teams from EMSL and across the scientific community will allow researchers to predict novel biosynthetic capabilities and refine production strategies.
Campaign launch
EMSL is partnering with researchers supported by the DOE Office of Science’s Biological and Environmental Research program, including the four Bioenergy Research Centers, to investigate the microbial biosynthesis of chemicals relevant to industrial-scale applications. These studies will integrate systems biology approaches—such as transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—to map out biosynthetic pathways, regulatory mechanisms, and environmental factors influencing production, growth, and cell health, among others.
Contact
If you have questions or are interested in learning more about how you can participate, contact Chris Anderton.