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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Biosystems Design theme engineers microorganisms and plants to help overcome hurdles in health and sustainability.

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Researchers used microbes to convert plastic waste into pyruvate, an essential energy source for microbes that use it to generate other useful products. As a proof-of-concept experiment, they converted polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, from plastic bottles into the blue dye indigoidine. Photo by Fred Zwicky
Research
Microbial assembly line makes plastic upcycling programmable
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Soybean cyst nematode. Image credit Esmaeil Miraeiz.
Research
Comprehensive genetic library for soybean cyst nematode could renew resistance, profitability for soybean growers
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The biocatalyst developed by Wei's laboratory enables the recovery of phosphate, a vital plant nutrient, from biorefinery wastewater. / Katie Brady
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Renewable biological catalyst carries the potential to transform wastewater into phosphorus resource
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The research team included (from left) Postdoctoral Researcher Yujie Yuan, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Huimin Zhao, PhD student Wesley Harrison, Postdoctoral Researcher Zhengyi Zhang, and Postdoctoral Researcher Maolin Li (not pictured)
Research
Researchers enable microorganisms to build molecules with light
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The research team included: first row, left to right, Ivy (Wuying) Tang, first author Harry (Shih-I) Tan, and Teresa Martin; back row, CABBI co-PIs Jeremy Guest (left) and Huimin Zhao. / Julie Wurth
Research
Commercially Viable Biomanufacturing: Designer Yeast Turns Sugar into Lucrative Chemical 3-HP
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Stephen Long, Stanley O. Ikenberry Endowed Chair Emeritus (deceased)
Research
Tracing a path through photosynthesis to food security
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