Modifying the Corn Genome For Cellulosic Ethanol Production
Posted: June 13, 2008
One of the many presenters at the recent CUTC was Mariam Sticklen, Michigan State University. Her topic was, “Modifying of the Corn Genome for Cellulosic Ethanol.” She had a full room since this is such a timely topic.
She says that corn ethanol is a transition but that it’s a good, mature technology which can still be improved. So she’s been working on ways to improve cellulosic production. Her team (she says she just gives the talks) is working to modify the corn genome so it can produce all the enzymes necessary for converting the cellulose into fermentable sugar so it can be converted to ethanol. In my interview with her you can hear more about this research project.
She understands that companies need to find ways to produce cellulosic ethanol in a commercially viable way and says that for that to happen it’s going to require gene modification to lower the costs. She says that this can be done now and how quickly we’ll see it on the market is dependent on when companies invest the resources to make it happen.
You can listen to my interview with Mariam here: