Center for Bioenergy & Photosynthesis

The ASU Center for Bioenergy & Photosynthesis  (CB&P) carries out frontier multidisciplinary scientific research designed to use biological and biologically-based artificial systems to address societal energy needs in a sustainable manner, with an emphasis on solar energy conversion and bioinspired energy transformation to meet human needs.

Working in tight coordination with the Arizona Institute for Renewable Energy (AIRE), ASU Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS), the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, we will:

• research how photosynthetic organisms store energy and develop similar processes that can be utilized in non-biological systems (artificial photosynthesis)
• discover new energy transfer pathways in microorganisms using metagenomics and other state-of-the-art techniques
• metabolically manipulate and engineer organisms for bioenergy production, including hydrogen, ethanol, and bio-diesel
• develop the design and optimization of bioreactors and production processes for bioenergy production
• examine the nature and role of photosynthetic organisms on environmental processes, climate, and human activities
• investigate the societal implications of bioenergy use and inform the general public about photosynthesis and the transition to the post-petroleum world
• work closely with our partners to develop sustainable solutions to other problems such as developing small solar energy collection/storage devices to deliver electricity to the two billion poor that currently are without such service
• communicate our findings to the broader world and engage in extensive education and outreach activities at the K-12, college, community and professional levels, including preparing teaching materials, conducting workshops, hosting web sites, staging lectures and organizing conferences

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Research Facilities & Labs

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