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Dual approaches pinpoint genes for better biofuel production

Chris Hubbuch Wisconsin Energy Institute
Jan 9, 2026
Jan 9, 2026

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Graduate student Jacob Eckmann works at an anaerobic chamber in the Kiley Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Jacob Eckmann holds a bottle of reagent inside an anaerobic chamber used to test which genetic variations improve a microbe's ability to tolerate chemical stressors encountered in industrial production settings.

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Chris Hubbuch Wisconsin Energy Institute

By combining two complementary techniques, University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists recently developed a way to efficiently pinpoint genes that help microbes tolerate harsh conditions found in industrial fermentations, technology that could enable breakthroughs in biotechnology.

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