z*h
发帖数: 773 | 1 Protein engineering and Innovative Biomanufacturing
Our mission is to integrate engineering design principle with biology and
chemistry to solve the most challenging tasks in the sustainability
revolution, such as, terminating the age of crude oil by using renewable
energy, feeding the world with minimum environmental footprints, powering
smart phones by metal-free batteries, etc. We propose to use in vitro
synthetic enzymatic pathways for low-cost biomanufacturing of a lot of
products from biofuels, biochemicals, food, nutrients to drugs. Via this
platform, we produced 12 H2 per glucose, three times of the yield of
microorganisms; transform cellulose to starch without sugar losses; and
developed the most energy dense battery – called sugar biobatteries.
Applicants will conduct the protein-based projects funded by DOE: (1) clone,
characterize and express hyperthermostable enzymes in E. coli for in vitro
synthetic biology projects, (2) increase key enzyme performance by using
directed evolution and/or rational design techniques, and (3) reconstitute
in vitro synthetic enzymatic systems for the production of the best
transportation fuel – hydrogen, fueling more and more hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles. Educational Requirement: Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry (
Enzymology), Biomolecular Engineering, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, or
relevant majors. The postdoc applicant must have good publications as the
first author. The relevant experience in protein engineering and protein
characterization is preferred. The applicant should be self-driven, be
willing to learn new knowledge and technologies, have strong problem-solving
ability, and have good communication skills.
Position is for one year and will be renewable for at least two years. If
interested, please send the cover letter, CV with a list of publications to
Prof. Dr. Y-H Percival Zhang (Email: [email protected]
/* */). Laboratory Website: http://www.sugarcar.com
Representative papers based on in vitro synthetic pathways
(1) Zhu ZG, Tam TK, Sun FF, You C, Zhang Y-HP*. 2014. A high-energy-density
sugar biobattery based on a synthetic enzymatic pathway. Nature
Communications 5: 3026. Article Altmetric score = 474 (#1 of the 600+
tracked articles of a similar age in Nature Communications)
Time (magazine) -- A Sugar-Powered Smartphone? Sweet!
BBC -- Scientists have created a sugar-powered battery for our smartphones
US News and World Report -- Spoonfuls of Sugar Could Soon Power Devices
UPI -- Researchers harness sugar's 'perfect energy storage' capacity to
build battery
Business Insider -- A Battery That Runs On Sugar Could Soon Be Powering Your
Electronics
Extreme Tech -- Sugar-powered biobattery has 10 times the energy storage of
lithium: Your smartphone might soon run on enzymes
The Guardian -- Sugar battery offers hope of green-powered gadgets within
three years
Red Orbit -- Researchers develop energy-dense sugar battery
The Engineer – Fuel cell receives energy boost from sugar
(2) You C, Chen HG, Myung S, Sathisuksanoh N, Ma H, Zhang XZ, Li JY, Zhang Y
-HP*. 2013. Enzymatic transformation of non-food biomass to starch.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 110: 7182-7189.
Highlighted by Science magazine.
Fox News -- Professor cooks up recipe for turning wood chips into food (Mar
13, 2014)
NBC – Late Night with Seth Meyers (Mar 17, 2014)
Science Magazine -- Could wood feed the world?
Popular Science – We could eat trees: Scientists turn inedible plant
cellulose into starchy snack
Voice of America – Chemical process creates food source from plant waste
(3) Martin del Campo JS, Rollin JR, Myung S, You C, Chandrayan S, Patiñ
o R, Adams MWW, Zhang Y-HP*. 2013. Dihydrogen production from xylose and
water mediated by synthetic cascade enzymes. Angewandte Chemie International
Edition 52:4587-4590. (Editor’s choice paper).
Forbes/CBS NEWS/Sky TV -- Could Hydrogen Breakthrough Revive The Fuel-Cell
Car?
Phyorg -- Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionize
alternative energy market
Biofuel Journal -- Sugar to Hydrogen
UPI -- Scientists make hydrogen fuel from plants
The Verge – Hydrogen fuel breakthrough lets researchers extract gas from
any plant
Raw Story -- Biofuel breakthrough turns virtually any plant into hydrogen |
|
