Ames Laboratory’s biofuel research was on display at the 2007 Biobased Industry Outlook Conference at the Iowa State Center on Nov. 5-6. The conference, “Growing the Bioeconomy: Science and Policy for Next Generation Biorefining,” brought together representatives from all corners of the biofuel industry to discuss creating sustainable systems to provide energy to the growing world.

The Ames Lab display featured Chemical and Biological Sciences program director Victor Lin’s research on using mesoporous silica nanoparticles to deliver DNA and chemical triggers to plant cells and associate chemist Emily Smith’s use of Raman imaging to identify the best feedstock for ethanol. Lin was also a presenter in a breakout session about thermochemical conversion of biobased feedstocks to oils and chemicals.

Emily Smith, chemist, explains how she screens biofuel plant stocks to identify what plant materials are most suitable for converting to biofuel.