Source: MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV submitted to
THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOR A BIOBASED INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223858
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
MIS-409030
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
-OLD S1041
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2010
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2013
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Sparks, D.
Recipient Organization
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MISSISSIPPI STATE,MS 39762
Performing Department
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Non Technical Summary
Many recent federal, industrial, and academic studies have concluded the U.S. economy of the 21st century will be biobased. During the transition from a petroleum-based economy to a biobased economy, products and processes based on biological raw materials will replace those based on fossil fuels. Biorefineries will use many types of biomass sources and produce a broad range of carbon based products, energy fuels, oils, and biochemicals, as well as a variety of biomaterials. The educational infrastructure needed to provide such training for the nascent green collar workforce is not available in conventional academic programs, which provide a narrow focus and do not encourage interactions among students from different departments. Innovative training programs are needed that minimize these barriers and provide more integrated programs. These programs must train students to communicate effectively, solve problems, and design processes in a multidisciplinary setting. Because the participants in this regional effort are dispersed geographically, a distance learning platform for courses developed as part of this regional project is recommended. Internet compatible courses can serve students in virtually any location. It is anticipated that other distance education media such as satellite communication methods could be used. In instances where internet delivery is impractical (e.g., lab based courses), conventional, on site course delivery may be the best model. In either case, the technical content of such courses should be disseminated, if possible, via publications in pedagogical journals.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
4031899100010%
4031899202010%
4034099100015%
4034099202015%
5111899100010%
5111899202010%
5114099100015%
5114099202015%
Knowledge Area
403 - Waste Disposal, Recycling, and Reuse; 511 - New and Improved Non-Food Products and Processes;

Subject Of Investigation
4099 - Microorganisms, general/other; 1899 - Oilseed and oil crops, general/other;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics;
Goals / Objectives
Reduce costs of harvesting, handling and transporting biomass to increase the competitiveness of biomass as a feedstock for biofuels, biomaterials and biochemicals Improve biofuel production processes Identify, develop and evaluate sustainable processes to convert biomass resources into biochemicals, biocatalysts and biomaterials Identify and develop needed educational resources, develop distance based delivery methods, and develop a trained work force for the biobased economy
Project Methods
The challenges posed by this new century in terms of energy and food will require advances in technology, sustainability and work force development. It is important to note that members of the SDC-325 project will formally collaborate and disseminate their results at the following professional meetings. SDC-325 members often interact at the American Society of Biological and Agricultural Engineers (ASABE) section meetings FPE-70, BE-28, PM-23/7/12 and T-11, Institute of Biological Engineering, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Oil Chemists Society, American Chemical Society and the National Biodiesel Board. As a result of this collaborative work, review articles will be prepared. A review article devoted to the biodiesel properties of novel feedstock combinations will be prepared by MI, NE and ND. Similar work will be prepared by NC on the use of novel feedstock, by KS on biomaterials and by AR, IL, IN and NE on coproduct extraction. Measurement of Progress and Results: Outputs: 1)A large portion of the efforts outlined in Objectives 1 through 4 are application oriented and will be useful to develop pilot projects, demonstrations and commercialization of biomass conversion to biobased products, 2) Other outputs include educational materials that could be used in traditional classroom settings or for distance education and web based distribution, 3)Publications in peer reviewed journals, trade journals and popular magazines, 4)Development of intellectual property, 5)Presentations to economic development groups, legislative groups, and to the general public, and 6) Development of management recommendations for producers of biobased products. Outcomes or projected Impacts: 1) The committee has served and will continue to serve as a resource for: Bioresearch and Development Initiative (BRDI), Biomass, Research and Development Board working groups, SBIR panel Biofuels 8.8, USDA/DOE Biomass Initiative Project Review Teams, NRI 71.2 panel and reviewers for the Sun Grant Initiative. 2) The multi-state membership will contribute to the implementation of the REE energy science strategic plan. 3) Multi-state membership will contribute to identification of funding priorities and shaping policy of Federal agencies 4) Research as a result of this project will create technology adopted by industry with at least two licensed technology per year. 5) Research will enable reduced dependency on foreign-based fuels and chemicals.

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience consisted of biofuels stakeholders in agriculture, industry, and academia as well as those interested in conservation. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This research has led to two students earning M.S. degrees and one student on track to graduate within the year with her Ph.D. During the duration of this project, students had the opportunity to present at regional and national conferences, allowing them to network with experts in biofuels. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated thorugh peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and press conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? As part of my participation with S1041: The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy, my research projects focused on goals 1, 2, and 3. For the project titled "Generation of Renewable Oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Grown on Sweet Sorghum Juice," production of lipids for biodiesel and carotenoids as a value-added co-product were optimized for using sorghum-based feedstock. This showed that a regional biomass (sorghum) could be used as a feedstock for producing biofuels and biochemicals. The second project was "Optimization of a Biofuels Production Consortium Based on the Intestinal Flora of the Giant Panda". This research has led to the identification of organisms in the intestinal track of the Giant Panda that are capable breaking down cellulosic biomass as well as converting organic material into lipids which can then be used for biofuel production. The final project was "Rapid Field Detection of Phytopathogenic Fungi in Agricultural and Biofuel Crops" and focused specifically on goal 1 of S1041. The end result of this research showed that Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy could be used as a mobile tool for monitoring phytopathogen contamination in biofuel crops such as soybeans and corn.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Williams, C., Holmes, W., Williams, C., Kouba, A., Sparks, D.L., Willard, S., Falcone, J.F., Brown, A. 2011. The Effect of Dietary Changes on Microbial Populations Within the Giant Panda. AOAC International Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 10-12, 2011
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Revellame, M., Shivaji, R., Sparks, D.L., Hernandez, R., French, T., and Brown, A., 2011. Evaluation of the Capability of Rhodotorula glutinis to Produce Cellulase and Hemicellulase. AOAC International Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 10-12, 2011
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Revellame, M.L., Shivaji, R., Hernandez, R., Sparks, D.L., and Brown, A., Lignocellulosic Biomass as a Carbon Source for Biofuels Production from Oleaginous Yeast. 2011. 242nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, 2011, Denver, CO
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Williams, C., Sparks, D.L., Kouba, A., Willard, S., and Brown, A. 2011. The Potential Usage of Giant Panda Fecal Material as a Pre-Treatment For Lignocellulosic Biomass for Biofuel Conversion. 242nd ACS National Meeting, Denver, CO, August 28-September 1, 2011
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Revellame, M.L., Holmes, W., Hernandez, R., Brown, A., and Sparks, D.L. 2011. Generation of Renewable Fuels and Chemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Using Sweet Sorghum. 2011 Mississippi State University Biofuels Conference, Oct. 5-7, 2011, Mississippi State, MS
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Zhang, G., W.T. French, R. Hernandez, J. Hall, D. Sparks, and W.E. Holmes, 2011, Microbial Lipid Production as Biodiesel Feedstock from N-Acetylglucosamine by Oleaginoous Microorganisms, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 86: 642-650.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: McDaniel, A., D.L. Sparks, W.E. Holmes, W.P. Williams, K.L. Armbrust, and A.E. Brown, 2011, Comparison of Matrix Clean-up Techniques for Aflatoxin Analysis in Corn and Dried Distillers Grains, Natural Resources 2(4): 250-257.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Johnston, I., Williams, C., Kouba, A., Sparks, D.L., and Brown, A. 2012. Metagenomics for Bioprospecting. Southern Section of AOAC International 26th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 30-May 1.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Revellame, M., Sparks, D., Hernandez, R., Holmes, W., and Brown, A. 2012. Generation of Renewable Fuels and Chemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis using Sweet Sorghum Juice, 103rd AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo, Long Beach, CA, April 29-May 2.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Williams, C., Johnston, C., Kouba, A., Willard, S., Sparks, D., and Brown, A. 2012. Isolation of Giant Panda Intestinal Microbes to be used in an Oil-Based Biofuel Platform, 103rd AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo, Long Beach, CA, April 29- May 2.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Williams, C.L., S. Willard, A. Kouba, D. Sparks, W. Holmes, J. Falcone, C.H. Williams, and A. Brown, 2012, Dietary Shifts Affect the Gastrointestinal Microflora of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2012.01299.x
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Mondala, A., R. Hernandez, T. French, L. McFarland, D. Sparks, W. Holmes, and M. Haque, 2012, Effect of Acetic Acid on Lipid Accumulation by Glucose-Fed Activated Sludge Cultures, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 87: 33-41.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Johnston, C.I., R. Singleterry, C. Reid, D.L. Sparks, A. Brown, B. Baldwin, S. Hill Ward, and W.P. Williams, 2012, The Fate of Aflatoxin in Corn Fermentation, Natural Resources 3: 126-136.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Williams, C., Johnston, I., Kouba, A., Willard, S., Sparks, D., Brown, A. 2012. Giant Panda Intestinal Microbes: Biofuels and Conservation, The 244th National American Chemical Society Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 19-23.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Williams, C., I. Johnston, A. Kouba, S. Willard, G. Suen, D. Sparks, and A. Brown, The Giant Panda and Biofuels: Metagenomics and Anaerobic Bacteriology, 104th AOCS Annual Conference & Expo. Montr�al, Qu�bec, Canada, April 28-May 1, 2013.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Williams, C., I. Johnston, A. Kouba, S. Willard, D. Sparks, and A. Brown, Microbiome Mining: Giant Panda Conservation and Biofuel, Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB), Baltimore, MA, July 21-25, 2013
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Johnston, C.I., C. Williams, D. Sparks, A. Kouba, S. Willard, and A. Brown, Quantitative Lipid Analysis of Gut Microflora Consortium in the Giant Panda, 246th ACS National Meeting. Indianapolis, IN, September 8-12, 2013.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Williams, C., D. Sparks, and A. Brown, "Could Panda Gut Microbes Power the Next-Generation Biorefinery?" INFORM Vol 24, Issue 10, pg. 630-632.


Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: For 2012, I continued my participation in two research projects that pertain to the overall mission of the Multistate Research Project S1041: The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy. The projects were "Generation of Renewable Oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Grown on Sweet Sorghum Juice" and "Optimization of a Biofuels Production Consortium Based on the Intestinal Flora of the Giant Panda". For these projects, I advised one M.S. student (Miriam Revellame) and one Ph.D. student (Ian Johnston) as well as co-advised another Ph.D. student (Candace Williams). Miriam Revellame completed her M.S. degree on the Rhodotorula glutinis project in December 2012. Results of these projects were disseminated at the Southeastern Section meeting of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, the 103rd American Oil Chemists Society Annual Meeting and Expo, and the 244th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Additionally, Candace Williams traveled to China to work with other experts in elucidating the microorganisms present in the Giant Panda intestinal track. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals who worked on these projects included Dr. Darrell Sparks (PI), Dr. Ashli Brown (PI), Ms. Candace Williams, Mrs. Miriam Revellame, Mr. Ian Johnston, Ms. Daltria Li, and Mr. William Ford. Dr. Sparks oversaw the experimental setup of the bioreactor experiments as well as selection of analytical methods to ensure proper parameters were monitored. Dr. Ashli Brown supervised the microbial identification portion of the Giant Panda work. Ms. Candace Williams (Ph.D. student) and Mr. Ian Johnston (Ph.D. student) performed the experimentation on the Giant Panda project and were assisted by Ms. Daltria Li (undergraduate) and Mr. William Ford (undergraduate). Mrs. Miriam Revellame was the M.S. student who performed the experiments for the generation of oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis using sweet sorghum juice. Partner organizations included the Mississippi State University Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Laboratory, Dr. Brian Baldwin (Mississippi State University), Dr. Rafael Hernandez (Mississippi State University), and Dr. Andy Kouba (Memphis Zoo). TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for these projects consists of the biofuels stakeholders in industry and academia as well as those interested in conservation. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
For the project titled "Generation of Renewable Oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Grown on Sweet Sorghum Juice", the yeast was cultivated in Sartorius Stedim BioStat Bplus bioreactors. The pH was adjusted to 2.5, 5.5 and 8.5 initially and was monitored but not controlled. Additionally, pO2 was maintained at 60 %. The microorganism was grown and maintained at different temperatures: 20, 25, and 35 degrees Celsius. The cultivation was done over seven days. The total accumulated carotenoids at each three factor combination of three levels of carbon to nitrogen ratio, temperature, and pH, totaling 27 combinations was modeled and the carotenoids obtained at seventh day of cultivation at each combination were optimized using the general factorial design. The optimization resulted in 0.0426 g total carotenoids per liter of the cultivation medium. This is affected significantly by the two-factor interaction of pH and temperature. The analysis also showed that the linear effect of the three factors to the accumulated total carotenoids was negative and the quadratic effect of both temperature and pH showed a decrease in the total carotenoids. The result of the seven-day total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) at each three-factor combination was used to optimize the cultivation conditions with respect total FAMEs. Employing the general factorial design, the most favorable condition for fatty acid methyl ester synthesis was at pH 5.5, 25 degrees Celsius, and a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 70. For the project titled "Optimization of a Biofuels Production Consortium Based on the Intestinal Flora of the Giant Panda", fecal samples were collected from Giant Pandas. Samples were collected, wrapped in sterile foil, flash frozen, and sent to University of Wisconsin (Madison) for analysis. DNA was extracted from fecal samples in triplicate using the isolation method for pathogen detection with the Qiagen QIAamp DNA stool kit. PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene was perfomed in quadruplicate for each DNA sample. An Illumina library was generated from the amplicon using the NEBNext DNA library prep kit for Illumina. Paired-end 100bp sequencing was performed in 1 land of an Illumina flow cell on a GAIIx sequencing making using Illumina's SBS chemistry and SCS data analysis pipeline. High-throughput sequencing generated raw reads that were analyzed using multiple methods utilizing databases such as the NCBI bacterial genome database. Species-specific primers were created to amplify organisms of interest using conventional PCR for validation of their presence. Initial metagenomic analysis has indicated the presence of 17 cellulolytic organisms and 7 oleaginous organisms. Using species-specific PCR, the presence of several cellulolytic and oleaginous organisms has been validated.

Publications

  • Williams, C., Johnston, I., Kouba, A., Willard, S., Sparks, D., Brown, A. 2012. Giant Panda Intestinal Microbes: Biofuels and Conservation, The 244th National American Chemical Society Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 19-23. (Abstract)
  • Williams, C.L., Willard, S., Kouba, A., Sparks, D., Holmes, W., Falcone, J., Williams, C.H., and Brown, A. 2012. Dietary Shifts Affect the Gastrointestinal Microflora of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2012.01299.x (Publication)
  • Johnston, I., Williams, C., Kouba, A., Sparks, D.L., and Brown, A. 2012. Metagenomics for Bioprospecting. Southern Section of AOAC International 26th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 30-May 1. (Abstract)
  • Revellame, M., Sparks, D., Hernandez, R., Holmes, W., and Brown, A. 2012. Generation of Renewable Fuels and Chemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis using Sweet Sorghum Juice, 103rd AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo, Long Beach, CA, April 29-May 2. (Abstract)
  • Williams, C., Johnston, C., Kouba, A., Willard, S., Sparks, D., and Brown, A. 2012. Isolation of Giant Panda Intestinal Microbes to be used in an Oil-Based Biofuel Platform, 103rd AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo, Long Beach, CA, April 29-May 2. (Abstract)


Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: For this reporting period, I participated in two research projects that pertain to the overall mission of the Multistate Research Project S1041: The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy. The projects were "Generation of Renewable Oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Grown on Sweet Sorghum Juice" and "Optimization of a Biofuels Production Consortium Based on the Intestinal Flora of the Giant Panda". In conducting this research, I mentored two M.S. students and two undergraduate students. Additionally, one of the M.S. students graduated in August 2011. Results of these projects were disseminated at the Southeastern Section meeting of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, and the 2011 Mississippi State University Biofuels Conference. Additionally, I received the William White Special Project Award, which was used to teach high school students analytical methodology, including biofuel testing. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals who worked on these projects included Dr. Darrell Sparks (PI), Dr. Ashli Brown (PI), Ms. Candace Williams, Mrs. Miriam Revellame, Ms. Brigitte Martin, and Katherine McGinley. Dr. Sparks oversaw the experimental design of the projects and ensured that project goals were achieved. Dr. Ashli Brown supervised the genomics portion of the Giant Panda work. Ms. Candace Williams was a M.S. student that performed the experimentation on the Giant Panda project and was aided by Ms. Katherine McGinley (undergraduate). Mrs. Miriam Revellame was the M.S. student who performed the experiments for the generation of oleochemicals from R. glutinis using sweet sorghum juice and was assisted by Ms. Brigitte Martin (undergraduate). Partner organizations included the Mississippi State University Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Laboratory who provided support for the R. glutinis work and Agilent Technologies who provided liquid chromatographic instrumentation for carotenoid analysis. Project collaborators include Dr. Brian Baldwin (Mississippi State University), Dr. Rafael Hernandez (Mississippi State University), Dr. Andy Kouba (Memphis Zoo), Dr. Jose Rodriguez (Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory), and Dr. Kevin Armbrust (Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory). TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for these projects consists of the biofuels stakeholders in industry and academia. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
For the project titled "Generation of Renewable Oleochemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Grown on Sweet Sorghum Juice", the cultivation variables included pH (2.5, 5.5 and 8.5) and temperature (20, 25, and 35 degrees Celsius). The cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis showed to have a optimum biomass level at pH 8.5 and C:N ratio of 70. The beta-carotene extracted was maximum at pH 2.5, 20 degrees Celsius, and C:N of 10 and minimum at high pH and temperature. This is in accordance to what has been reported in the literature. The calculated optimized condition for fatty acid methyl esters was the same condition obtained with beta-carotene except that the temperature was at 25 degrees Celsius. Although the ratio of the fatty acid methyl esters with respect to the weight of the biomass was high at this condition, the biomass yield was at a minimum. All the optimized conditions were predicted using the maximum values obtained at the stationary phase of the microorganism. The major components of fatty methyl esters generated were palmitic AME, oleic AME, linoleic AME, and linolenic AME. FAMEs are commonly known as biodiesel. Based upon the average fatty acid composition, the lipids of R. glutinis would produce a satisfactory biodiesel. In conclusion, at high temperature the production of both FAMES and beta-carotene is not favorable and at high initial pH, biomass can give a maximum yield in due time, but it is evident that if the pH is maintained at pH 5.5 the possibility of higher yield of biomass can be observed. Also, at low carbon to nitrogen ratio and high pH, the microorganisms seem to be struggling to grow at this condition. Although the FAMEs and beta-carotene are predicted to be maximum at this ratio, the medium is acidic in both conditions. As a result of this study, we have determined the effect of key experimental parameters (temperature and pH)on biomass growth, lipid accumulation, and carotenoid yield. This information is vital for scale-up in a biorefinery setting. In this study, a regional carbon source (sweet sorghum juice) was also shown to be viable a feedstock to produce biodiesel and bio-based products (nutraceuticals and pigments from carotenoids). For the project titled "Optimization of a Biofuels Production Consortium Based on the Intestinal Flora of the Giant Panda", the ability of panda fecal microbes to degrade lignocellulosic biomass was shown by the treatment of biomass with giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) feces. In our study, eight bacterial groups were enumerated monthly over a fourteen-month sampling of the giant pandas to characterize the gastrointestinal flora. Colony forming units per gram fecal material for Bacteroides spp. ranged in the male and female panda from 102 to 104, values for Clostridium spp. ranged from 102 to 105. The previously unidentified Bacteroides spp. in the giant panda and Clostridium spp. may be useful in the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass and its conversion to biofuels. Further work must be conducted to identify species and to isolate cellulase genes in these organisms; metagenomic work is underway to accomplish these tasks.

Publications

  • Williams, C., Holmes, W., Williams, C., Kouba, A., Sparks, D.L., Willard, S., Falcone, J.F., Brown, A. 2011. The Effect of Dietary Changes on Microbial Populations Within the Giant Panda. AOAC International Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 10-12, 2011 (abstract).
  • Sparks, D.L., Crymble, S.D., McEwen, J., Hernandez, R., and French, W.T. 2011 Solubility of Phosphatidylcholine in Carbon Dioxide with Propane Co-Solvent. 102nd AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo, May 1-4, 2011, Cincinnati, OH (abstract).
  • Williams, C.L., Williams, C., Willard, S., Kouba, A., Falcone, F., Sparks, D.L., and Brown, A.E. 2011. Dietary Shifts Affect the Gastrointestinal Microflora of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca), Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition (pending).
  • Mondala, A., Hernandez, R., French, T., McFarland, L., Sparks, D.L., and Holmes, W. 2011. Effect of Acetic Acid on Lipid Accumulation by Glucose-Fed Activated Sludge Cultures. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology (accepted).
  • Revellame, M., Shivaji, R., Sparks, D.L., Hernandez, R., French, T., and Brown, A., 2011. Evaluation of the Capability of Rhodotorula glutinis to Produce Cellulase and Hemicellulase. AOAC International Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 10-12, 2011 (abstract).
  • Revellame, M.L., Shivaji, R., Hernandez, R., Sparks, D.L., and Brown, A., Lignocellulosic Biomass as a Carbon Source for Biofuels Production from Oleaginous Yeast. 2011. 242nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, 2011, Denver, CO (abstract).
  • Williams, C., Sparks, D.L., Kouba, A., Willard, S., and Brown, A. 2011. The Potential Usage of Giant Panda Fecal Material as a Pre-Treatment For Lignocellulosic Biomass for Biofuel Conversion. 242nd ACS National Meeting, Denver, CO, August 28-September 1, 2011 (abstract).
  • Revellame, M.L., Holmes, W., Hernandez, R., Brown, A., and Sparks, D.L. 2011. Generation of Renewable Fuels and Chemicals from Rhodotorula glutinis Using Sweet Sorghum. 2011 Mississippi State University Biofuels Conference, Oct. 5-7, 2011, Mississippi State, MS (abstract).