Department of Energy Announces Funding for 31 Biotechnology Projects Sponsored by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research

The Department of Energy recently announced $41 million in funding for 31 new biotechnology projects. The selected projects are tasked with “advancing research in the development of microbes as practical platforms for the production of biofuels and other bioproducts from renewable resources.” The projects will build on the growing momentum in the biotechnology space to increase understanding of the capabilities of scientific innovation at the cellular level.

Selected projects are working with existing organisms to find ways to improve on their current functions by increasing their abilities as “producers.” The resulting product that is produced can vary from biofuels to other chemical-based substances that has the potential for multiple different uses down the road. Roughly one-third of the projects are focusing on the imaging tools needed to work with these organisms through tasks such as identifying and transforming them to accomplish different functions, rather than modifying the organism itself.

Further information on the projects, as well as a full list of projects can be found here: https://science.energy.gov/~/media/4C7317A50AF94F069737C2C58B917F83.ashx and at: https://science.energy.gov/~/media/C9A09E93B8D94DC587E9E17F7C28A204.ashx