Research Interests

Microbial biomass characterization, fractionation, and conversion

Affiliated Research Programs

Algal Biomass Conversion

Biogas to Liquid

Areas of Expertise

Microbial biomass refinery and characterization, extraction, separation, catalysis, and biodiesel

Education

Ph.D., Bio-Systems Engineering, Washington State University

M.S., Food Chemistry, Jiangnan University

B.S., Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher, NREL, Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center (2013–present)

Featured Work

Direct Quantification of Fatty Acids in Wet Microalgal and Yeast Biomass via a Rapid in situ Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Derivatization Approach, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2015)

Two-Step Microalgal Biodiesel Production Using Acidic Catalyst Generated from Pyrolysis-Derived Bio-Char, Energy Conversion Management (2015)

Regulation of Starch and Lipid Accumulation in a Microalga Chlorella sorokiniana, Bioresource Technology (2015)

Sequential Hydrothermal Fractionation of Yeast Cryptococcus curvatus Biomass, Bioresource Technology (2014)

Investigation of Cell Disruption Methods for Lipid Extraction from Oleaginous Microorganisms, European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology (2014)

Improved Lipid Accumulation by Morphology Engineering of Oleaginous Fungus Mortierella isabellina, Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2014)

From Microalgae Oil to Produce Novel Structured Triacylglycerols Enriched with Unsaturated Fatty Acids, Bioresource Technology (2014)

High-Density Fed-Batch Culture of a Thermotolerant Microalga Chlorella sorokiniana for Biofuel Production, Applied Energy (2013)

Two-Step in situ Biodiesel Production from Microalgae with High Free Fatty Acid Content, Bioresource Technology (2013)