Bioenergy Research: Advances and Applications (ePub)

group also investigates the use of enzymes for the recovery and selective modification of high-value biochemicals and plant carbohydrate-derived bioactives (‘Glycobioengineering’). Dr. Tuohy is a PI in the Energy Research Centre, NUI, Galway and the recently funded national Bioenergy and Biorefinery Competence Centre, is a member of the EU FP7 Biofuels Platform and a national research PhytoNetwork. Dr. Tuohy has been a visiting researcher in RUGhent, Belgium and BSH Institut fur Holzchemie, Hamburg. Dr. Tuohy is author of ~132 research publications, including refereed publications, book chapters, conference papers poster/short communications. She is also a reviewer for international journals and funding agencies and several books as co-editor- Springer Science Publisher, USA; CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, USA; Germany; Nova Science Publisher, USA and Elsevier Press, USA (under Progress) with Dr. V. K. Gupta

Dr. John (Jack) Saddler is the endowed Professor of Forest Products Biotechnology / Bioenergy (originally an NSERC Industry Chair) and also the former Dean, Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia.

Professor Saddler has been involved, for more than 30 years, in various national and international organizations that have advanced the global understanding of how woody biomass can be converted to useful fuels and chemicals. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Canada’s highest recognition for scientists, and he has received many other awards such as the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO’s) Scientific Achievement Award, and the Charles D. Scott award for contributions to the field of “Biotechnology for fuels and Chemicals. Professor Saddler is also the recipient of the prestigious Leadership award, presented from Life Sciences British Columbia for demonstrated leadership in the industry and given to individuals who have assisted in the creation and advancement of the broader life sciences communities over time.

Professor Saddler has published more than 380 papers, several books, holds several patents, and is a regular reviewer/advisor for agencies such as the US Dept. of Energy, USDA, NSERC, and World Bank. He has trained more than 70 graduate students, Post Doc.s, and Research Associates, many of whom are now in senior positions in industry, government, and academia around the world

Outside of the research setting, Professor Saddler has not only advised policymakers at the highest levels provincially and nationally, but has been instrumental in the creation of long-standing initiatives to demonstrate, commercialize, and transfer promising biorefining technologies, such as the creation of the BC Bioenergy Network. Nationally, his influence extends to such bodies as the Science Directorate of the Canadian Forest Service, the Canadian Council of Forests Ministers, and the National Roundtable on Economy and Environment. Internationally, he has contributed significantly to the work of the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the US DoE, USDA, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Paris, and he has acted as the Co-Task Leader of the Liquid Biofuels network of IEA Bioenergy organization for many years.



B.Sc. (Hons) Microbiology - University of Edinburgh, 1975

Ph.D. Micobiology/Biochemistry - University of Glasgow, 1978

Former Dean, Faculty of Forestry; Professor of Forest Products Biotechnology / Bioenergy

Feng Xu is a Staff Scientist in the Department of Protein Chemistry at Novozymes, Inc. (a subsidiary of Novozymes A/S) where he has been a research scientist since 1992. His research interests are in enzymology and enzyme biotechnology, particularly that related to oxidoreductases (Cu-oxidase, heme peroxidase, flavoenzymes) and carbohydrases (cellulases, amylases). In the past decade, he has focused on enzymatic conversion of biomass and led the effort discovering the function of GH61 enzyme in enzymatic cellulose degradation.

Feng Xu is the author or co-author of about 89 articles, reviews, or book chapters, and is the inventor or co-inventor of about 38 issued or pending patents. Feng Xu served at the Editorial Advisory Panel of Biochemical Journal (2005-2013) and is a member of the American Chemical Society.

Feng Xu completed his doctorate at the University of Paris VII in France (1982-1986) and his bachelor’s degree at Wuhan University in China (1978-1982). He worked as a postgraduate researcher at the University of California at San Diego (1986-1988) and a Research Investigator at the University of Michigan (1988-1992).