Advancing Next-Generation Biofuels
by Blake Simmons (Vice-President, Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute) Simmons provides an overview of Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBI) and their research associated with converting cellulosic biomass to biofuel. He describes the challenges of the various steps involved in current technologies for breaking down biomass so that the cellulose is accessible to enzymes that can convert it into sugars, the building blocks of advanced biofuels. He introduces the role of genomics in addressing these challenges.
Keywords: Joint Bioenergy Institute, JBI, cellulose and hemicellulose, xylose, arabinose, arabinoxylan, xylan, acetyl, feruloyl, transferases, glycosyltransferases
Graphs/Figures:
- Flow chart depicting conversion of feedstocks to biofuel (ethanol)
- Flow chart depicting how pretreatment of cellulosic biomass breaks down lignin
- “Visualization of biomass solubilization and cellulose regeneration during ionic liquid pretreatment of switchgrass,” Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2009) 104(1), 68-75- Featured Cover Article
- Flow chart of Ionic Liquid Pretreatment Process
- Flow chart of Xylan Digestion and Utilization



