Breaking the Technical and Economical Barriers to 2nd Generation Biofuels: Advances in Plant and Microbial Genomics and Genetic Engineering
ID: 3609

Abstract: It is rare that the technical landscape of second generation biofuels (cellulosic bio-ethanol) is presented in terms of the major advances required to surmount the obvious barriers to emergence. This panel will address the major hurdles which face 2nd generation biofuels and will highlight the advances that will likely contribute to provoke a change of paradigm in this competitive field. The experts will be asked to walk us through the process and explain how genomics and tailored engineering of plants and microbes will contribute in making this process cost-effective in the forseeable future.

Moderator: Louis-Philippe Vezina, Medicago, Inc (Canada)

Presenter 1: The Canadian Cellulosic Biofuel Network: Multidisciplinary Research for the Production of Biofuel
Serge Laberge, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Biocatalysis under Unconventional Conditions - A New Generation of Enzymes 
Simon McQueen-Mason, CNAP, University of York, (United Kingdom)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: Advanced current Biotechnology to produce cellulosic bioenergy 
Hyeun Jong-Bae, POSTECH, (Korea - South Korea)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 4 (if necessary): Biopolymers –Surrogate for Conventional Plastics 
Adrian Tsang, Concordia University, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Panel Organizer:
Louis-Philippe Vezina, Medicago, Inc, (Canada)

Why should your submission should be selected for this year’s program?
This proposed panel session is unique because it will present an integration of multiple key factors. It will propose a comprehensive view of the key missing links in the whole process of making ethanol from plant cellulose, address each one in terms of their impact on the overall economical viability but more so, will explain the likely paths of solution brought about by genomics and bio-engineering for each of these missing links. It will showcase the multi-sector approach developed recently by many R&D groups, for example, the canadian and european network (PIBA) initiatives on cellulosic bio-ethanol. A contextual introductory presentation will be given by Dr. Serge Laberge (AAFC), chair of the canadian PIBA cellulosic ethanol network initiative.