Protein engineering and InnovativeBiomanufacturing

Our mission is to integrate engineering design principle with biology andchemistry to solve the most challenging tasks in the sustainability revolution,such as, terminating the age of crude oil by using renewable energy, feedingthe world with minimum environmental footprints, powering smart phones by metal-freebatteries, etc. We propose to use in vitro synthetic enzymatic pathways forlow-cost biomanufacturing of a lot of products from biofuels, biochemicals,food, nutrients to drugs. Via this platform, we produced 12 H₂ perglucose, three times of the yield of microorganisms; transform cellulose tostarch 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 biologyprojects, (2) increase key enzyme performance by using directed evolutionand/or rational design techniques, and (3) reconstitute in vitro syntheticenzymatic systems for the production of the best transportation fuel –hydrogen, fueling more and more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  Educational Requirement:  Ph.D. degree inBiochemistry (Enzymology), Biomolecular Engineering, Molecular Biology,Microbiology, or relevant majors. The postdoc applicant must have goodpublications as the first author.  The relevant experience in proteinengineering and protein characterization is preferred. The applicant should beself-driven, be willing to learn new knowledge and technologies, have strongproblem-solving ability, and have good communication skills.  

Position is for one year and will be renewable for at least two years. Ifinterested, please send the cover letter, CV with a list of publications toProf. Dr. Y-H Percival Zhang (Email: ypzhang@vt.edu).Laboratory Website: http://www.sugarcar.com

Representative papers based on in vitro synthetic pathways

(1) ZhuZG, Tam TK, Sun FF, You C, Zhang Y-HP*.2014. A high-energy-density sugar biobattery based on a synthetic enzymaticpathway. 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-PoweredSmartphone? Sweet!

BBC -- Scientists have created asugar-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 buildbattery

Business Insider -- A Battery That Runs On Sugar Could Soon Be Powering YourElectronics

Extreme Tech -- Sugar-powered biobattery has 10 times the energy storageof 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-densesugar 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. Enzymatictransformation of non-food biomass to starch. Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences of the USA. 110: 7182-7189. Highlighted by Sciencemagazine.

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 plantcellulose into starchy snack

Voice of America – Chemical process creates food source from plant waste

(3) Martin delCampo JS, Rollin JR, Myung S, You C, Chandrayan S, Patiño R,  Adams MWW, Zhang Y-HP*. 2013.Dihydrogen production from xylose and water mediated by synthetic cascadeenzymes. Angewandte Chemie International Edition52:4587-4590. (Editor’s choice paper).        

Forbes/CBS NEWS/Sky TV -- Could Hydrogen Breakthrough Revive TheFuel-Cell Car?

Phyorg -- Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionizealternative energy market

Biofuel Journal -- Sugar to Hydrogen

UPI -- Scientists make hydrogen fuel from plants

The Verge – Hydrogen fuel breakthrough lets researchers extract gas fromany plant

Raw Story -- Biofuel breakthrough turns virtually any plant into hydrogen