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Lee Rybeck Lynd

Overview

Professor Lynd is an expert on the production of energy from plant biomass and conducts leading research on microbial cellulose utilization. Professor Lynd’s H-Index of 54 (Google Scholar) is among the highest of researchers with primary activity in the bioenergy field. Lynd has authored over 180 papers, book chapters, and reviews spanning both laboratory research and visionary analysis. In addition to leading his research group, Lynd’s activities at Thayer School include teaching the undergraduate Systems course as well as graduate courses in Metabolic Engineering and Energy Systems, and curriculum development and strategic planning in the energy area. He also chairs the Executive Committee of the Global Sustainable Bioenergy Initiative, is a Management Team member and Biomass Deconstruction and Conversion Focus Area Leader for the Department of Energy Bioenergy Science Center, and was Chief Scientific Officer, Director, and Co-Founder of Mascoma Corporation until its sale in 2014, and is Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Enchi Corporation. A frequent presenter on technical and strategic aspects of biomass energy, Lynd has testified three times before the United States Senate, and his work has been featured in both national and international media such as Wired, Forbes, and Nova.

Education

• B.S., Biology, Bates College, 1979
• M.S., Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1981
• M.S., Engineering Sciences, Thayer School of Engineering, 1983
• D.E., Engineering, Thayer School of Engineering, 1987

Research Interests

Microbial cellulose utilization; metabolic engineering; innovative biomass processing technologies; sustainable bioenergy futures

Teaching

• ENGS 161: Microbial Physiology and Metabolic Engineering
• ENGS 175: Energy Systems
• ENGG 261: Biomass Energy Systems

Selected Publications

Microbial Cellulose Utilization:

• Dykstra, A.B., L. St Brice, M. Rodriguez Jr., B. Raman, J. Izquierdo, K.D. Cook, L.R. Lynd, R.L. Hettich. 2014. Development of a multipoint quantitation method to simultaneously measure enzymatic and structural components of the Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome protein complex. J Proteome Res. 13(2):692-701.
• Holwerda, E.K., P.G. Thorne, D.G. Olson, D. Amador-Noguez, N.L. Engle, T.J. Tschaplinski, J.P. van Dijken, L.R. Lynd. 2014. The exometabolome of Clostridium thermocellum reveals overflow metabolism at high cellulose loading. Biotechnol. Biofuels. 7:155.
• Reed, P.T., J.A. Izquierdo, L.R. Lynd. 2014. Cellulose fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum and a mixed consortium in an automated repetitive batch reactor. Bioresour. Technol. 155:50-56.
• More...

Metabolic Engineering:

• Zheng, T., D.G. Olson, L. Tian, Y.J. Bomble, M.E. Himmel, J. Lo, S. Hon, A.J. Shaw, J.P. van Dijken, L.R. Lynd. 2015. Cofactor specificity of the bifunctional alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase (AdhE) in wild-type and mutant Clostridium thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum. J Bacteriol. 197(15):2610–2619
• Currie, D.H., B. Raman, C.M. Gowen, T.J. Tschaplinski, M.L. Land, S.D. Brown, S.F. Covalla, D.M. Klingeman, Z.K. Yang, N.L. Engle, C.M. Johnson, M. Rodriguez, A.J. Shaw, W.R. Kenealy, L.R. Lynd, S.S. Fong, J.R. Mielenz, B.H. Davison, D.A. Hogsett, C.D. Herring. 2015. Genome-scale resources for Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum. BMC Syst Biol. 9:30
• Biswas, R., T. Zheng, D.G. Olson, L.R. Lynd, A.M. Guss. 2015. Elimination of hydrogenase active site assembly blocks H2 production and increases ethanol yield in Clostridium thermocellum. Biotechnol. Biofuels. 8:20.
• More...

Innovative Biomass Processing Technologies:

• Shao, X., K. DiMarco, T.L. Richard, L.R. Lynd. 2015. Winter rye as a bioenergy feedstock: impact of crop maturity on composition, biological solubilization and potential revenue. Biotechnol Biofuels. 8:35-44.
• Archambault-Léger, V., Z. Losordo, L.R. Lynd. 2015. Energy, sugar dilution, and economic analysis of hot water flow-through pre-treatment for producing biofuel from sugarcane residues. Biofuels, Bioprod. Bioref. 9: 95–108.
• Archambault-Léger,V., X. Shao, L.R. Lynd. 2014. Simulated performance of reactor configurations for hot-water pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse. ChemSusChem. 7(9):2721-2727.
• More...

Sustainable Bioenergy Futures:

• Lynd, L.R.*, M. Sow*, A.F. Chimphango, L.A. Cortez, C.H. Brito Cruz, M. Elmissiry, M. Laser, I.A. Mayaki, M.A. Moraes, L.A. Nogueira, G.M. Wolfaardt, J. Woods, W.H. van Zyl. 2015. Bioenergy and African transformation. Biotechnol Biofuels. 8:18-35.
• Dale B.E., J.E. Anderson, R.C. Brown, S. Csonka, V.H. Dale, G. Herwick, R.D. Jackson, N. Jordan, S. Kaffka, K.L. Kline, L.R. Lynd, C. Malmstrom, R.G. Ong, T.L. Richard, C. Taylor, M.Q. Wang. 2014. Take a Closer Look: Biofuels Can Support Environmental, Economic and Social Goals. Environ. Sci. Technol. 48:7200-7203.
• Laser, M., L.R. Lynd. 2014. Comparative efficiency and driving range of light- and heavy- duty vehicles powered with biomass energy stored in liquid fuels or batteries. PNAS. 111(9):3360-3364.
• More...

Honors and Awards

• Chairman, Clostridium XIV meeting (to take place in 2016)
• Scientific Committee, Bioenergy and Food Security Workshop, International Food Policy Research Institute (2014)
• Scientific Advisory Committee, SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) Rapid Assessment Process on Biofuels and Sustainability (2013)
• Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lecture, University of Arkansas (2013)
• Keynote Lecture, 35th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (2013)
• Advisory Board member, BioEnergy Research (2010 to present)
• Lecturer, Advanced Course on Microbial Physiology and Fermentation, Delft Technical University, The Netherlands (2005 to present)
• Professor Extraordinary of Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa (2002 to present)
• Manager, Link Energy Foundation Energy Fellowship Program (1998 to present)
• AAAS Fellow (2012)
• Visiting Scholar, University of Campinas, Brazil (2012)
• University of Georgia Charter Lecture (2012)
• Mines Medal honoring scientists and engineers who have shown exceptional leadership and innovation, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2011)
• 2010: Bioprocess and Biosytems Engineering, Best Paper of the Year (2010)
• Editor, Biofuels and Fine Chemicals Section, Manual of Industrial Microbiology (2008-2009)
• Lecturer, Penn State Biomass Energy Short Course (2008-2009)
• Advisor, Renewable and Alternative Energy Portfolio, South African National Energy Research Institute (2007-2009)
• Member, Minnesota Cellulosic Ethanol Working Group (2007-2009)
• Bioenergy Section Editor, Current Opinion in Biotechnology (2007-2008)
• Organizing Committee Member, Annual Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (1996-2009)
• American Society of Microbiology Division O Lecture (2008)
• Inaugural Winner, Lemelson-MIT Sustainability Award for Inventions and Innovations that Enhance Economic Opportunity and Community Well-Being While Protecting and Restoring the Natural Environment (2007)
• Nobel Conference Lecture (2007)
• Fellow, Institute of Biological Engineering (2007)
• Co-Leader, "Reimagining Agriculture to Accommodate Large Scale Energy Production", NSF-funded workshop (2007)
• Charles D. Scott Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field of Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (2005)
• Organizing Committee Member, American Academy of Microbiology Symposium on Microbial Energy Production (2005)
• Co-leader, The Role of Biomass in America’s Energy Future Project (2003-2009)
• Visiting Professor, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa (2002)
• Member and R&D area coordinator, Biomass and Agriculture Working Group of the Energy Future Coalition (2003)
• Organizing Committee and Keynote Speaker, First Botswana Symposium on Science and Technology for Development (2000)
• Associate Editor (1995-2008) and Editorial Board Member (2008 to present), Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Biofuels Industry Representative, Advisory Committee to the Executive Office of President Clinton on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Personal Vehicles (1994-1995)
• Charles A. Lindbergh grant in recognition of efforts to promote a balance between environmental preservation and technological advancement (1991-1994)
• Presidential Young Investigator (1989-1994)

News

• Canada Firm Buys Mascoma Corp.
  Valley News
  November 9, 2014

• Comparative efficiency and driving range of light- and heavy-duty vehicles powered with biomass
  PNAS
  February 18, 2014

• Five Dartmouth Faculty Elected AAAS Fellows
  Dartmouth Now
  December 8, 2011

• Bioenergy: Food security proves a worry
  Financial Times
  December 1, 2011

• School of Mines honors world bioenergy expert
  School of Mines
  September 7, 2011

• Melding Talents with a Career in Bioprocessing
  Science
  July 15, 2011

• Perspective: A new hope for Africa
  Nature
  June 22, 2011

• US Secretary of Energy to Address Energy Symposium
  Dartmouth Now
  April 26, 2011

• Yield Projections for Switchgrass as a Biofuel Crop
  FoodIngredientsFirst.com
  July 12, 2010

• Biofuel Roundup
  NPR's Science Friday
  April 30, 2010

• Prof. discusses biofuel technology
  The Dartmouth
  October 19, 2009

• Queneau Chair Celebratory Lecture
  October 6, 2009

• Beneficial Biofuels - The Food, Energy, and Environment Trilemma
  Science
  July 17, 2009

• Squaring biofuels with food
  Issues in Science and Technology
  June 29, 2009

In Dartmouth Engineer Magazine

• Undergrads in the Lab
  Spring 2015

• Kudos
  Fall 2014

Video

TEDxDartmouth - Lee Lynd: Cellulosic Biofuels: Why, Can, Must, and How

April 17, 2010

Lee Lynd, 2007 Winner of Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability

Seminar: Sustainable Biofuels: A Personal Odyssey

October 16, 2009

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