Solving the Mysteries of the
Human Body
Lola Eniola-Adefeso wants to develop a way to deliver heart disease medicine to the blood vessels near the heart. Eniola-Adefeso and her research were featured in the September issue of Findings, a publication of the National Institute of General Medicine Sciences. (A.Z. Machalek, Special Delivery, Findings, NIGMS, September 2009, 8-16.)
>>>Read the full article at http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/findings/sept09/
Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Award
 Phillip Savage has won one of the inaugural Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Awards for his research and publications dealing with the use of water (instead of organic solvents) as a reaction medium for synthesis of terephthalic acid. Billions of pounds of terephthalic acid are produced each year and used to make plastic water and pop bottles and synthetic fibers for carpet.
The award recognizes Savage's innovative thinking in the realm of green chemistry and his leadership in working to reduce or eliminate hazardous substances from chemical products and processes in Michigan. Jennifer Dunn and Mitsumasa Osada also contributed to the research that was cited.
The State of Michigan's Green Chemistry program recognizes advances that either incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, or use, or that promote activities which support or implement those technologies.
Algae Processing Made Easy
 Phillip Savage and other faculty from the department and university have received a $2 million grant from NSF-Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI). The project “The Science and Engineering of Microalgae Hydrothermal Processing” will be led by Savage, in collaboration with Greg Keoleian (Professor and Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Systems, SNRE), Adam Matzger (Professor of Chemistry), and Xiaoxia “Nina” Lin and Suljo Linic from the Chemical Engineering Department.
Conventional approaches for converting microalgae to liquid fuels on a large scale have two major barriers: cultivating algae with high oil content, and drying the algae and extracting its hydrocarbon components. The researchers will attempt to overcome these barriers through a new, integrated approach that will work for a wide range of biomass. Their investigation will focus on understanding conversion reactions, developing catalysts, and using by-products associated with processing moist algae at high heat and pressure for the sustainable production of useful hydrocarbons. |
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How Would You Explain Synthetic Biology to Darwin? 
