Philip T. Pienkos
I am the Principal Manager of the Applied Sciences Group of the National Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. I joined NREL in September 2007 after 25 years in the biotech industry. My primary focus at NREL is on algal biofuels, and I am the center lead for this effort. In addition to my research responsibilities, I lead a group that consists of three sections — Applied Biology, Process Biology, and Compositional Analysis — and serve as line manager for sixteen technicians, scientists, and engineers who are involved in various aspects of biofuel R&D.
Research Interests
Some of the DOE-funded programmatic efforts carried out by the Applied Sciences Group are:
- Xylose yield targets
- Hydrolyzate toxicity process integration
- 2012 process demonstration
- Analytical development
- Arabinose utilization chemical transformations (CT)
- Biological transformations
- Feedstock process interface.
In addition to these activities, I am the PI or co-PI on a number of algal biofuels projects that are funded by DOE, DOD, or commercial partners. These include:
- Chevron CRADA
- Algal systems biology
- Algenol Integrated Biorefinery
- Sustainable Algal Biofuels Consortium.
I have been very active in the international algal biofuels community, resulting in my being named #60 in Biofuels Digest's list of the top 100 people in biofuels in 2010. I played a role in writing an algal biofuels report to Congress (released in 2008) and in organizing the DOE algal roadmapping workshop in December 2008 as well as helping to draft the roadmap itself, which was published in 2010. I was a co-author on the International Energy Agency Task 39 report on Current Status and Potential for Algal Biofuels Production. I was selected to serve on the steering committee of the fledgling Algal Biomass Organization in 2007 and was elected to the board of directors in 2008 on which I served until 2011. I remain involved with ABO by serving on the Technical Standards Committee and by chairing the Events Committee.
Much of my time is spent in partnership development at NREL, and I am involved in discussions with both public and private organizations to identify collaborative opportunities in various aspects of biofuel R&D involving both cellulosic and algal biomass.
My technical experience spans a wide range of topics including:
- Molecular biology
- Microbial physiology
- Fermentation development
- Metabolic engineering
- Enzyme and protein engineering
- Technoeconomic analysis.
Education
Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin, 1980
B.S., Honors Biology, University of Illinois, Graduated cum laude, 1974
Professional Experience
- Principal Group Manager, NREL, Golden, CO, 5/11–present
- Principal Research Supervisor, NREL, Golden, CO, 8/07–5/11
- Research Director, Molecular Logix, Inc., The Woodlands, TX, 2/03–8/07
- Interim Research Position, Advisys, Inc., The Woodlands, TX, 8/02–2/03
- Research Director, Enchira Biotechnology Corp./Energy BioSystems Corp., The Woodlands, TX, 10/94–5/02
- Staff Scientist, Celgene Corp., Warren, NJ, 5/86–10/94
- Senior Research Scientist, Celanese Research Company, Summit, NJ, 6/84–5/86
- Senior Research Scientist, Lederle Laboratories, Pearl River, NY, 6/82–6/84
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Microbiology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 10/79–6/82
Publications and Presentations
Co-author of numerous technical publications, including most recently:
- Guarnieri, M.; Nag, A.; Smolinski, S.; Darzins, A.; Seibert, M.; Pienkos, P.T. (2011). "Examination of Triacylglycerol Biosynthetic Pathways via de novo Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses in an Unsequenced Microalga." PLOS One (6); e25851.
- Pienkos, P.T.; Aden, A.; Laurens, L. (2011). "Making Biofuel from Microalgae." American Scientist (99); pp. 474–481.
- Sun, A.C.; Davis, R.; Starbuck, M.; Ben-Amotz, A.; Pate, R.C.; Pienkos, P.T. (2011). "Comparative Cost Analysis of Algal Oil Production for Biofuels." Energy (36); pp. 5169–5179.
- Davis, R.; Aden, A.; Pienkos, P.T. (2011). "Techno-Economic Analysis of Autotrophic Microalgae for Fuel Production." Applied Energy (88); pp. 3524–3531.
- Monticello, D.J.; Russo, A.; Jiang, X.; DeRubeis, D.; Pienkos, P.T. (2011). "Pan-HER Dominant Negative Ligand That Inhibits HER Phosphorylation and HER-Ligand Dependent Tumor Cell Proliferation." J. Biol. Chem. (Submitted).
- Darzins, A.; Pienkos, P.; Edye, L. (2010). Current Status and Potential for Algal Biofuels Production. IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Report T39-T2.
- Pienkos, P.T.; Jarvis, E.; Darzins, A. (2010). "Betting on algal biofuels." IEEE Spectrum.
- Franden, M.A.; Pienkos, P.T.; Zhang, M. (2009). "Development of a high-throughput method to evaluate the impact of inhibitory compounds from lignocellulosic hydrolysates on the growth of Zymomonas mobilis." J. Biotechnol. (144); pp. 259–267.
- Pienkos, P.T.; Zhang, M. (2009). "Role of pretreatment and conditioning processes on toxicity of lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates." Cellulose (16); pp. 743–762.
- Pienkos, P.T.; Darzins, A. (2009). "The promise and challenges of microalgal-derived biofuels." BioFPR (3); pp. 431–440.
- Holland, H.L.; Brown, F.M.; Kerridge, A.; Pienkos, P.; Arensdorf, J. (2003). "Biotransformation of sulfides by Rhodococcus erythropolis." J. Mol. Cat. B. Enzymatic (22); pp. 219–223.
- Coco, W.M.; Encell, L.P.; Levinson, W.E.; Crist, M.J.; Loomis, A.K.; Licato, L.L.; Arensdorf, J.; Sica, N.; Pienkos, P.T.; Monticello, D.J. (2002). "Growth factor engineering by degenerate homoduplex recombination." Nature Biotech. (20); pp. 1246–1250.
- Arensdorf, J.J.; Loomis, A.K.; DiGrazia, P.M.; Monticello, D.J.; Pienkos, P.T. (2002). "Chemostat Approach for the Directed Evolution of Biodesulfurization Gain-of-Function Mutants." Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (68); pp. 691–698.
- Coco, W.M.; Levinson, W.E.; Crist, M.J.; Hektor, H.J.; Darzins, A.; Pienkos, P.T.; Squires, C.H.; Monticello, D.J. (2001). "DNA shuffling method for generating highly recombined genes and evolved enzymes." Nature Biotech. (19); pp. 354-359.
- Pienkos, P.T. (2000). "Choosing the best platform for the biotransformation of hydrophobic molecules." Bell, C.R.; Brylinsky, M.; Johnson-Green, P., ed. Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology. Halifax, Canada: Atlantic Canada Society for Microbial Ecology.
Co-inventor on three patents:
- Coco, W.M.; Pienkos, P.T.; Loomis, A.K. "Epidermal Growth Factor Agonists and Methods of Use." U.S. Patent No. 7,084,246.
- Bishop, J.S.; Loomis, K.A.; Monticello, D.J.; Pienkos, P.T. "Epidermal growth factor receptor antagonists and methods of use." U.S. Patent No. 7,470,769.
- Pienkos, P.T.; Monticello, D.J. "Pan-HER antagonists and methods of use." U.S. Patent No. 7,557,181.
Presentations at national and international meetings, including most recently:
- Fifth Annual Algae Biomass Summit (2011)
- 33rd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (2011)
- World Biofuels Market Congress (2010)
- Algae Biofuels World Summit (2009)
- DOE Algal Biofuels Roadmapping Workshop (2008)
- Second Annual Algae Biomass Summit (2008)
- Renewable Energy Finance Summit (2008)
- Algae Biomass Summit (2007)
- Miami Nature Biotechnology Winter Symposium (2005)
Contact Information
Philip T. Pienkos
Principal Manager
Applied Sciences Group
National Bioenergy Center
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
15013 Denver West Parkway
Golden, CO 80401
Phone: 303-384-6269
Fax: 303-384-6363
Email: philip.pienkos@nrel.gov
