Hannah Akinosho, a Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry and Biochemistry, received one of three $1,500 awards for her poster, “Is Simons’ staining a reliable indicator of biomass accessibility during consolidated bioprocessing?” at the recent annual retreat of the BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The poster competition showcases various types of research conducted by graduate students regarding the manipulation and/or analysis of biomass for ethanol production in BESC.  Akinosho’s poster assessed the reliability of the Simons' staining technique, which has been traditionally applied to [pretreated] biomass to determine susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis, in consolidated bioprocessing. 

Akinosho is studying organic chemistry with a minor in Paper Science and Engineering and is expected to complete her degree in August. Her core competencies include structural characterization (degree of polymerization, crystallinity, bond linkages, hydrophobicity, surface charge) of cellulosic polymers and/or polymeric derivatives; consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) with Clostridium thermocellum for ethanol production; and physical (viscoelasticity, particle size, color) and chemical assessment (oxidation) of emulsions and their stability.

The BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) is a multi-institutional (18 partners), Department of Energy-funded research organization performing basic and applied science dedicated to improving yields of biofuels by focusing on the fundamental understanding and elimination of biomass recalcitrance. This multidisciplinary research encompasses the biological, chemical, physical, and computational sciences, as well as mathematics and engineering. To find out more click here.