[Seminar] Genetic engineering of wood quality to improve biomass processing
Wout Boerjan, VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University
| When |
13 Apr, 2016
from
10:30 am to 11:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where | Auditorium |
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Seminar
Title: Genetic engineering of wood quality to improve biomass processing
Speaker: Wout Boerjan
Affiliation: VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Bio-energy Group, Ghent University
Short Biography:
Wout Boerjan is among the world’s top scientists in the field of tree biotechnology.
Wout Boerjan graduated in 1985 as Licentiate in Sciences, specialty Biotechnology at Ghent University, Belgium. In 1993, he obtained his PhD in Plant Biotechnology at Ghent University in the lab of Prof. Marc von Montagu. In 1993, he became group leader of the Tree Biotechnology Group in the Department of Plant Genetics. Since 2003, he is a Professor at the Ghent University and group leader at the VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, where he leads the Bio-energy Group.
Wout Boerjan focuses his research on sustainable applications of biotechnology such as the production of biofuels and biomaterials. His research group studies the biochemistry of wood formation. Its main focus is the study of lignin, a glue-like substance that gives wood its rigidity. Wout Boerjan was the first to demonstrate that it is possible to modify trees genetically so that they produce less lignin. This is of economic importance as the presence of lignin complicates the processing of wood for the production of, among other things, paper, bioethanol and other biomass-based materials. Limiting the amount of lignin facilitates the conversion of wood into bioethanol.
He is member of the International Academy of Wood Science, associate editor of ‘Bioenergy Research’, advisory board member of several international projects and regular organizer of international congresses. In 2009, he has been named “Forest Biotechnologist of the Year”. He has an impressive publication track record with over 200 papers published and he is internationally recognized by his efforts to educate the broader public about the responsible application of biotechnology.
