Research Deep‑Dive

Microbial Biofuel Production

Engineering nature's tiny factories to power the world.

We engineer yeast, cyanobacteria, and algae to convert agricultural waste and CO₂ into high‑yield ethanol, butanol, and hydrogen — delivering drop‑in replacements for fossil fuels.

Our Process ← Back to Research
⚡
40%
Higher yield than traditional fermentation
3
Engineered chassis strains (Yeast, Cyanobacteria, E. coli)
100%
Renewable feedstock compatibility
Our Approach

From Lignocellulose to Liquid Fuel

We combine synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and bioprocess optimization to create robust microbial cell factories that turn waste biomass into high‑energy biofuels.

🔬 1. Strain Engineering

CRISPR‑based modification of S. cerevisiae and Synechococcus to overexpress key enzymes (pyruvate decarboxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, hydrogenase).

🧪 2. Fermentation & Bioreactors

High‑density fed‑batch fermentation with real‑time pH, DO, and temperature control. Continuous gas stripping for butanol recovery.

📈 3. Downstream & Analytics

GC‑MS/FID for product quantification, HPLC for organic acid profiling, and techno‑economic modelling for scale‑up feasibility.

Current Research Highlights

  • ✓ Cyanobacterial hydrogen production under nitrogen‑starved conditions — 2.5x increase over wild‑type.
  • ✓ Lignocellulosic hydrolysate tolerance engineering in S. cerevisiae for inhibitor resistance.
  • ✓ Co‑cultivation of cellulolytic fungi and ethanol‑producing yeast for consolidated bioprocessing (CBP).
Associated Research Outputs
01
Metabolic flux analysis of hydrogen production in cyanobacteria — Data accepted for Bioresource Technology (2025)
02
CRISPR‑i mediated regulation of competing pathways for ethanol overproduction — Manuscript in revision
03
Techno‑economic assessment of agricultural‑residue‑to‑butanol process — Internal white paper (available upon request)