Overview

Inducible cell wall degrading enzymes for expression in energy crops.

Dr. Philip Lessard, Senior Scientist at local biofuels company Agrivida, an agricultural biotechnology company developing energy crops designed to produce chemicals, fuels, and bioproducts from non-food cellulosic biomass, will discuss the current state of biofuels and the challenges facing the technology.

Enzyme costs account for a significant portion of the total cost-per-gallon in manufacturing cellulosic ethanol.  Agrivida is developing technologies that will lower enzyme costs, promoting the economic viability of using biomass to generate renewable energy.

Key Questions

Handouts

Agrivida_Technology_Overview.pdf

Preparatory Readings

Biofuels, Inducible cell wall degrading enzymes for expression in energy crops

06:00-07:00PM Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Leader: Dr. Philip Lessard, Senior Scientist at Agrivida, biofuels company
Location: 4-231