US-Japan Gene Chemistry Research for Biofuel

A research collaboration between universities in the US (Iowa State U, University of California (UC) Davis, UC Los Angeles and Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, New York) and Japan (University of Tokyo, Osaka University, and Kyoto University) in partnership with Samuel Roberts Foundation was forged to develop technologies towards a low-carbon society. The scientists will conduct various studies including plant modification to produce more and better oils or lipids which are considered more efficient in storing energy than starch molecules. Thus, these plants may be tapped to produce more efficient biofuels and better, more cost-effective biochemicals, which have higher value than biofuels.

"We are trying to better understand the biology (of plants) and make it a more predictable science in terms of predicting positive attributes," said Basil Nikolau, professor of biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. "With that information, we can manipulate (plants) to do anything you want."

Details of this article can be viewed at http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/dec/nikolau