Conversion: Turning Plants into High-value Chemicals
The scientists in this theme will further develop a versatile, automated “biofoundry” for rapidly engineering microbial strains that can efficiently produce diverse, high-value molecules such as biodiesel, organic acids, jet fuels, lubricants, and alcohols. Using the design-build-test-learn framework, research in the Conversion theme will overcome the challenges associated with driving biological systems to produce non-natural compounds.
Check out a video of an integral part of the CABBI Conversion theme: the Illinois Biological Foundry for Advanced Biomanufacturing (iBioFAB) >>>
STRAIGHT FROM THE SCIENTISTS: Research Profiles Offer Insight into CABBI Work
Read Ph.D. Candidate Kisurb Choe’s profile by Julie Wurth >>>
Read Postdoc Danim Yun’s profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Integration Postdoc Nam Kyu Kang’s profile by April Wendling >>>
Read Ph.D. Candidate Anshu Deewan’s research profile by Maria Maring >>>
Read Ph.D. Candidate Meera Gupta’s research profile by Julie Wurth >>>
Read Postdoc Qiang Yan’s research profile by Julie Wurth >>>
Read Postdoc Matthew Waugh’s research profile by April Wendling and Maria Maring >>>
Read Postdoc Zia Fatma’s research profile by Taylor Jennings >>>
Read an article on the work at the iBioFAB facility by April Wendling >>>
Read Postdoc Ming-Hsun Cheng’s research profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Co-PI Yong-Su Jin’s research profile by Emily Scott >>>
Huimin Zhao: Theme Leader
Zhao, the Steven L. Miller Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is also a Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, and Bioengineering. He has 17-plus years of experience directing research projects funded by DOE, NSF, NIH, DOD, the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, and various companies. His research develops and applies synthetic biology approaches to engineer functionally improved or novel proteins, pathways, and genomes. An expert in industrial biotechnology, Zhao received his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1998 from the California Institute of Technology.
Joshua Rabinowitz: Deputy Theme Leader
Rabinowitz, a Professor of Chemistry and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University, is an expert in chemical biology. He aims to achieve a quantitative, comprehensive understanding of cellular metabolism as it relates to disease — as well as small molecules that can be the basis of many important pharmaceuticals and other biochemicals. His research is in technology development
, metabolic regulation in model microorganisms , biofuel production, metabolic impact of viral and malaria infection
, and cancer cell metabolism. Rabinowitz received his Ph.D. in Biophysics in 1999 at Stanford University.
Christopher Rao: Deputy Theme Leader
Rao, a Professor and and Robert W. Schaefer Scholar of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researches the rational engineering of non-model, living organisms for production of chemicals and fuels from plant biomass. His lab uses genetics, biochemistry, mass spectrometry, microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance on the experimental side to bioinformatics, finite element analysis, molecular dynamics, and stochastic and multi-scale simulation on the modeling/theory side. He received his Ph.D. in 2000 in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
The Lead Scientists
Bruce Dien
Research Chemical Engineer, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, IL
The Research Team
David Flaherty
Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Dow Chemical Co. Faculty Scholar, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The Research Team
George Huber
Richard L. Antoine Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Yong-Su Jin
Professor of Food Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ting Lu
Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Assistant Professor of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Yi Lu
Jay and Ann Schenk Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Costas Maranas
Donald B. Broughton Professor of Chemical Engineering, Penn State University
Sergei Maslov
Professor of Bioengineering and Bliss Faculty Scholar, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Brian Pfleger
Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Zengyi Shao
Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Jack R. and Carol A. Johnson Faculty Fellow, Iowa State University
Vijay Singh
Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Saurabh Sinha
Professor of Computer Science, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Patricia Slininger
Research Chemical Engineer, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, IL
The Bioenergy Research Unit page >>>
Jonathan Sweedler
James R. Eiszner Family Endowed Chair and Professor of Chemistry, Director of School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Martin Wühr
Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University
Yasuo Yoshikuni
Biologist/Staff Scientist, Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Chengxiang Zhai
Professor of Computer Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The Research Team
An alphabetical listing of all researchers, postdocs, technicians, and graduate students doing CABBI research in the Conversion Theme.
A-F
- Shivali Banerjee
- Shounak Bhogale
- Daniel Bun
- Ming-Hsun Cheng
- Kisurb Choe
- William Cordell
- Anshu Deewan
- Narendra Deshavath
- Payam Dibaeinia
- Hoang Dinh
- Veronika Dubinkina
- Kristen Eilts
- Behnam Enghiad
- Alex Frese
SHIVALI BANERJEE
Postdoc
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
SHOUNAK BHOGALE
Biophysics Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Sinha
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
DANIEL BUN
Chemical & Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Shao
Iowa State University
MING-HSUN CHENG
Postdoc
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
KISURB CHOE
Microbiology Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Sweedler
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
WILLIAM CORDELL
Chemical and Biological Engineering M.S. Candidate
PI: Pfleger
University of Wisconsin at Madison
ANSHU DEEWAN
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
NARENDRA DESHAVATH
Postdoc
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PAYAM DIBAEINIA
Bioinformatics M.S. Candidate
PI: Sinha
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
HOANG DINH
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Maranas
Penn State University
VERONIKA DUBINKINA
Bioengineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Maslov
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
KRISTEN EILTS
Lab Research Specialist
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
BEHNAM ENGHIAD
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ALEX FRESE
Molecular Biology Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Wühr
Princeton University
G-L
- Meera Gupta
- Wesley Harrison
- Ping-Hung Hsieh
- Mengqi Hu
- Susan Hubbard
- Matthew Jacobson
- Sujit Jagtap
- Yuyao Jia
- Alexander Johnson
- Ebin Joseph
- Nam Kyu Kang
- Chanwoo Kim
- Min Soo Kim
- Hyun Gi Koh
- Nurzhan Kuanyshev
- Sahiti Labhishetty
- Quan Lam
- Stephan Lane
- Ye-Gi Lee
- Xi Li
- Yifei Li
- Yiwei Liu
- Mingkuan Lyu
MEERA GUPTA
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Wühr
Princeton University
WESLEY HARRISON
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PING-HUNG HSIEH
Postdoc
PI: Yoshikuni
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
MENGQI HU
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Maranas
Penn State University
SUSAN HUBBARD
Chemical & Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Pfleger
University of Wisconsin at Madison
MATTHEW JACOBSON
Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Flaherty
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PostdocYUYAO JIA
Agricultural and Biological Engineering M.S. Candidate
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ALEXANDER JOHNSON
Chemical & Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Wühr
Princeton University
EBIN JOSEPH
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering M.S. Candidate
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
NAM KYU KANG
Integration Postdoc
PIs: Ort (Feedstock Production)/Jin (Conversion)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHANWOO KIM
Food Science & Human Nutrition Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Jin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
MIN SOO KIM
Chemical & Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Huber
University of Wisconsin at Madison
HYUN GI KOH
Postdoc
PIs: Jin/Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
NURZHAN KUANYSHEV
Postdoc
PI: Jin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
SAHITI LABHISHETTY
Computer Science Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhai
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
QUAN LAM
Biochemistry Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Y. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
YE-GI LEE
Postdoc
PI: Jin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
XI LI
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Rabinowitz
Princeton University
Bioengineering Ph.D. CandidateYIWEI LIU
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Y. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
MINGKUAN LYU
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Y. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
M-R
- Shraddha Maitra
- Teresa Martin
- Danielle Meyer
- Quanbing Mou
- Viviana Nguyen
- Greg Pawel
- Vassily Petrov
- Priyanka
SHRADDHA MAITRA
Postdoc
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
TERESA MARTIN
Coordinator of Research Programs
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
DANIELLE MEYER
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
QUANBING MOU
Postdoc
PI: Y. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
VIVIANA NGUYEN
Bioengineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: T. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
GREG PAWEL
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Yi Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
VASSILY PETROV
Software Engineer
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PRIYANKA
Postdoc
PI: T. Lu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
S-Z
- Vijay Shah
- Yihui Shen
- Chengyou Shi
- Nilmani Singh
- Ramkrishna Singh
- Wan Sun
- Patrick Suthers
- Qiqi (Sherry) Tian
- Vinh Tran
- Hanna Walukiewicz
- Lin Wang
- William Woodruff
- Zong-Yen Wu
- Tianxia Xiao
- Xi Xing
- Mason Xue
- Guanhua (Daniel) Xun
- Qiang Yan
- Joshua Ye
- Sangdo Yook
- Danim Yun
- Yuxin Zhao
- Shuaizhen Zhou
- Zhengyong Zhou
VIJAY SHAH
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Flaherty
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
YIHUI SHEN
Postdoc
PI: Rabinowitz
Princeton University
CHENGYOU SHI
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Canddiate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Automation EngineerRAMKRISHNA SINGH
Postdoc
PI: Singh
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
WAN SUN
Microbiology Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Shao
Iowa State University
Research ScientistQIQI (SHERRY) TIAN
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Canddiate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
VINH TRAN
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
HANNA WALUKIEWICZ
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Senior Research Scientist
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PostdocWILLIAM WOODRUFF
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ZONG-YEN WU
Postdoc
PI: Yoshikuni
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate
Chemistry Research ScientistMASON XUE
Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
GUANHUA (DANIEL) XUN
Bioengineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Zhao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PostdocJOSHUA YE
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Rao
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
SANGDO YOOK
Food Science and Human Nutrition Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Jin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Postdoc
Visiting ScholarSHUAIZHEN ZHOU
Postdoc
PI: Sweedler
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ZHENGYONG ZHOU
Food Science & Human Nutrition Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Jin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
FORMER TEAM MEMBERS
Priyanka Baloni, Postdoc (Price), Institute for Systems Biology
Aashutosh Boob, Chem. and Biomol. Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), Univ. of Ill. Urbana-C.
William Bothfeld, Postdoc (Pfleger), University of Wisconsin at Madison
Mingfeng Cao, Chem. & Biomolecular Eng. Research Scientist (Zhao), Univ. of Ill. Urbana-C.
Li Chen, Postdoc (Rabinowitz), Princeton University
Chang Cui, Chemistry Graduate Student (Yi Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Marco Dell’Anna, Postdoc (Huber), University of Wisconsin at Madison
Co-PI James Dumesic, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, U. of Wisc. at Madison
Zia Fatma, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research profile >>>
Emily Gaither, iBioFAB Technician (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Arian Ghorbanpour, Postdoc (Flaherty), University of Illinois Urbana-C. Research profile >>>
Paul Hanke, Chemical Engineering Research Technician (Zhao), University of Ill. Urbana-C.
Xiaoqiang Huang, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Guangde Jiang, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Michael Jindra, Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Candidate (Pfleger), U. of Wisconsin at Madison
Sam Johnstone, Chemical & Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate (Huber), U. of W. at Madison
Dongwon Ki, Integration Postdoc (Guest/Rao/Jin), University of Illinois Urbana-C.
Min Soo Kim, Chem. & Bio. Engineering Ph.D. Candidate (Huber), U. of Wisconsin at Madison
Wentao Kong, Research Scientist (T. Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Deepak Kumar, Ag. & Biological Eng. Research Asst. Prof. (Singh), U. of Illinois Urbana-C.
Ryan Lake, Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate (Y. Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jaewon Lee, Postdoc (Jin), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Xiaoyu Liang, Postdoc (Price), Institute for Systems Biology
Chen Liao, Postdoc (Ting Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jing-Jing Liu, Postdoc (Rao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research profile >>>
Ismini Lourentzou, Computer Science Ph.D. Candidate (Zhai), University of Illinois Urbana-C.
W. Lance Martin, Senior Scientist (Wühr), Princeton University
Daniel McClelland, Postdoc (Huber), University of Wisconsin at Madison
Christopher Mehrer, Grad Student (Pfleger), University of Wisconsin at Madison
Bryan Mejia-Sosa, Chem. & Biomolecular Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), U. of Illinois Urbana-C.
Evan Mirts, Postdoc (Y. Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Shekhar Mishra, Chemical & Biomolecular Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), U. of Illinois Urbana-C.
Thao Nguyen, Chemical and Biological Engineering Ph.D. Candidate (Wühr), Princeton University
Congjian Ni, Biophysics and Quantum Biology Ph.D. Candidate (T. Lu), University of Ill. Urbana-C.
Michel Nofal, Postdoc (Rabinowitz), Princeton University
David Ollodart, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Flaherty), U. of Illinois U.-C.
Partha Pratim Pandey, Postdoc (Maslov), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Matthew Plutz, Chem. & Biomolecular Eng. Senior Research Scientist (Rao), U. of I. U.-C. Research profile >>>
Co-PI Nathan Price, Associate Director and Professor, Institute for Systems Biology
Lillia Ryazanova, Research Specialist (Wühr), Princeton University
Yusuke Sasaki, Postdoc (Yoshikuni), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Carl Schultz, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tong Si, Postdoc (Sweedler/Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research profile >>>
Jordan Sickle, Biophysics and Quantitative Biology Ph.D. Candidate (T. Lu), U. of Illinois U.-C.
Vangelis Simeonidis, Research Scientist/Program Manager (Price), Institute for Systems Biology
Will Streyer, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Liang Sun, Food Science & Human Nutrition Ph.D. Candidate (Jin), U. of Illinois Urbana-C.
Shayan Tabe Bordbar, Computer Science Ph.D. Candidate (Sinha), University of Ill. Urbana-C.
Linrui Tan, Visiting Scholar (Jin), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ipek Tasan, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Payman Tohidifar, Postdoc (Rao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mothi Viswanathan, Postdoc (Singh), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Lam Vo, Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Michael Volk, Chem. & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), U. of Illinois U.-C.
Bo-Xun Wang, Chemical & Biological Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Huber), U. of Wisconsin at Madison
Xiaoyi Wang, Chemical & Biomolecular Ph.D. Candidate (Rao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Yajie Wang, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Matthew Waugh, Postdoc (Y. Lu) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research profile >>>
Zhenglin Yang, Biochemistry Ph.D. Candidate (Yi Lu), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tianhao Yu, Ph.D. Candidate (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Zhengyi Zhang, Postdoc (Zhao), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Zhongyao Zhang, Chem. and Biomolecular Eng. Ph.D. Candidate (Flaherty), U. of Illinois U.-C.