Workshops on Basic Research Needs for Biofuel Production from Photosynthetic Microorganisms; Fall 2011, Washington D.C.

提案ID：1144433 PI：从光合微生物生产生物燃料具有巨大的潜力，但也有相当大的科学和技术挑战，包括水和养分的使用，具有成本效益的培养和收获，以及微生物的发展，是强大的和生产的过程规模。 由于最近对藻类用于生产可再生液体运输燃料的潜力重新产生兴趣，私营部门正在进行各种研究，开发和示范活动。 尽管这些努力为藻类生物燃料工业的发展提供了重要的刺激，但它们主要具有短期商业化目标。 这些微生物的生物化学、生物物理学、生态学、代谢工程和合成生物学水平的基础研究，以及补充的生物过程工程研究，有可能解决生产力和可扩展性的科学和技术障碍，从而加速商业化的驱动力。 此外，世界上有几个国家正在进行平行的研究和开发活动，促进新的合作将使该领域的基础研究和应用研究产生协同作用。本次研讨会将确定目前的研究差距，这些差距是从光合微生物（主要是微藻和蓝藻）中可规模化生产生物燃料的基础。从基础生物科学和生物过程工程的角度。 该研讨会将邀请12名科学专家参加关于利用藻类和蓝藻生产生物燃料的基本主题。 在德国举办的免费后续研讨会将提供国际视角，有4名美国与会者参加。 这些研讨会还将提出研究重点，有可能为推进基础科学和工程所需的促进新生的藻类生物燃料行业，并培育未来光合生物精炼的发展产生最大的影响。更广泛的影响一份报告将提交给NSF总结的结论和藻类和蓝藻生物燃料的高优先级研究需求。 此外，将提交一份关于这些讲习班成果的手稿，供在一份研究期刊上发表。 预计与这两个讲习班有关的活动将产生新的网络和伙伴关系，其中许多是多学科的，有些涉及德国和美国的研究人员小组。 将为四名初级研究人员提供差旅费支助，以利于他们的专业发展。 将努力吸引任职人数不足群体的成员申请这些旅费赠款。

Proposal ID: 1144433PI: ReardonThe production of biofuels from photosynthetic microorganisms has significant potential, but also has considerable scientific and technological challenges for scale up, including water and nutrient use, cost-efficient cultivation and harvesting, and development of microorganisms that are robust and productive at process scale. Due the recently revived interest in the potential of algae for the production of renewable liquid transportation fuels, a variety of research, development, and demonstration activities are now underway by the private sector. Although these efforts provide an important stimulus toward the development of an algal biofuels industry, they largely have short term commercialization goals. Basic research at the level of the biochemistry, biophysics, ecology, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology of these microorganisms, as well as complimentary bioprocess engineering research, has the potential to resolve scientific and technological barriers to productivity and scalability, and hence accelerate the drive to commercialization. Furthermore, there are parallel research and development activities underway in several countries around the world, and the facilitation of new collaborations would enable synergism with respect to both basic and applied research in this area.This workshop will identify the current research gaps underlying the scalable production of biofuels from photosynthetic microorganisms, primarily microalgae and cyanobacteria, from the perspective of fundamental bioscience and bioprocess engineering. The workshop will engage 12 scientific experts in topics fundamental to the use of algae and cyanobacteria for biofuels production. The complimentary follow-up workshop in Germany with 4 US participants will provide an international perspective. These workshops will also suggest research priorities that have the potential to make the greatest impact for advancing the fundamental science and engineering needed to facilitate the nascent algal biofuels industry, and nurture the development of future photosynthetic biorefineries.Broader ImpactsA report will be submitted to NSF summarizing the conclusions and high priority research needs for algal and cyanobacterial biofuels. In addition, a manuscript on these workshop outcomes will be submitted for publication in a research journal. It is anticipated that new networks and partnerships will arise from the activities associated with both workshops, many of them multidisciplinary and some involving teams of German and US researchers. Travel support will be offered to four junior researchers to benefit their professional development. Efforts will be made to attract applications for these travel grants from members of underrepresented groups.