Our Overall Research Interests are:

In the area of bioenergy our goal is to optimize anaerobic fermentation processes to select for undefined mixed cultures that can convert wastes into bioenergy, such as biogas (methane), bioelectricity, and alcohols; and biochemicals, such as butyrate, hydrogen, and hydrogen peroxide.  We focus on improving the performance and stability of anaerobic digesters, anaerobic fermenters, and bioelectrochemical systems (including microbial fuel cells [MFCs] and microbial electrolysis cells [MECs]) for waste treatment by optimizing the reactor configuration and/or community selection process.  The latter is possible after gaining knowledge on the microbial population dynamics obtained with molecular microbiology techniques based on highly-parallel sequencing (16S rRNA gene surveys and comparative metagenomics) and hybridization methods (DNA arrays).

In addition, we are involved in converting lignocellulosic wastes into butanol through two different technologies: 1. a 3-step process, which couples chemical/physical pretreatment with an undefined mixed culture bioreactor and a pure culture solventogenesis bioreactor; and 2. a 2-step process, which couples slow pyrolysis with syngas fermentation.

In the research area of bioaerosols, we characterize bacterial pathogens in indoor air with 16S rRNA gene sequencing technologies.

Bioelectrochemical systems with living cells are also ideal biosensors.  Our lab is performing pure culture studies to optimize the electronic signal and test applications.  In addition, we have placed bioelectrochemical systems in Alaskan soil to monitor electrochemical activity of the undefined mixed culture.

Our Main Research Concentrations are:

Bioelectrochemical Systems (BESs), such as MFCs, MECs, and Biosensors

Anaerobic Digestion of Waste

Liquid Biofuel Butanol from Waste

Micro-bioreactors

Bioaerosols

Examples of Current Funded Research Projects:

Reduction of iron and humic substances as a dominant respiratory process in arctic peat soils, NSF - $586,013.00 (Lipson [SDSU], Angenent, and Raab [Stanford]).

Mixed cummunity bioreactors to convert (ligno)cellulosic feedstocks into the liquid biofuel butanol-NRI-USDA-$425,000 (Angenent, Qureshi [ARS-USDA], Cotta [ARS-USDA], and Dien [ARS-USDA]).

CAREER: Microbial fuel cell technology for large-scale wastewater treatment - NSF - $406,250 (Angenent).

More Examples of Current and Past Research Projects