Please contact: ypzhang@vt.edu http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ypzhang/index.htm Improvement in cellulase performance on solid cellulose is challenging but vital to success of bioethanol industry. Bioethanol production from renewable cellulosic materials is the next large industry at a level of hundreds of billion US dollars for the next 2 decades. New efficient screening/selection strategies for improving cellulase using directed evolution has been proposed. The postdoc will develop high activity cellulase (mixture) suitable for the pretreated cellulose biomass by applying new selection strategies. Applicant should have strong research background in bioengineering/biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, or molecular biology, and a passion for research, and a great ambition. The relevant research experiences in protein engineering using directed evolution, selection/high-throughput screening, enzyme cell- surface display, secreted protein expression, and cellulase have been considered preferentially but not always.
The relevant information can been downloaded in our latest perspective review entitle “Outlook for Cellulase Improvement: Screening and Selection Strategies” at. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=IssueURL&_tockey=%23TOC%234986%239999%23999999999%2399999%23FLA%23&_auth=y&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fc4af5b5e38d8d54208ee713bb6a1d58.
The proposed research is an ambitious big project. The results are anticipated to publish in high-profile journals such as Nature or Science because of originality, importance, and impact. The  .I. (ypzhang@vt.edu) will have a great impact on this field within several years. The research experience in this project will help the postdocs to easily obtain jobs in academia or national laboratory or industry based on their interests. Bioethanol production will grow up to be a several hundred billions US dollars industry within several decades, and cellulase production for this application will have ~ 5 billion markets.
If you want to switch your research and join a rising laboratory, please consider this opportunity seriously. The position is open now until filled. |