Realizing Lignin's Potential in Biorefining by Bridging Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering

The 2024 Lignin GRC will focus on synthesis, isolation, characterization, and utilization of the most abundant biological source of aromatic molecules -- lignin from terrestrial plant cell walls. Lignin plays a key role in plant water and nutrient transport, attainment of large stature, and defense against pathogens. In addition to aromaticity, its reduced state relative to carbohydrates, render lignin a valuable precursor for sustainable synthesis of chemicals, polymers, and materials that can serve as direct or improved replacements for current petroleum-based counterparts, including marine and aviation fuels, plastics, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals and materials. Still, the heterogeneous, recalcitrant nature of lignin leads to multiple technical challenges in understanding lignin's structure in plant cell walls and extracting it in a useful form from plant biomass for biorefining. Indeed, despite over a century of efforts, cost-effective valorization of lignin is just beginning to show promise.

The goal of the Lignin GRC is to bring together researchers from academia, government research centers, and industry working on all aspects of lignin, including its characterization, in planta engineering, utilization, depolymerization, and upgrading. Interaction, discussion, and teamwork among plant researchers, microbiologists, chemists, engineers, and material scientists are critical to continuing advances towards harnessing this abundant, renewable, yet challenging, resource.

Several speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts. If you are at a career stage that would particularly benefit from such an opportunity (e.g., searching for a position) and would like to give a talk, please indicate that in your “activities” description.