To better understand exactly how lignin persists, researchers at ORNL created one of the largest biomolecular simulations to date–a 23.7-million atom system representing pretreated biomass (cellulose and lignin) in the presence of enzymes. The research was led by Jeremy Smith, a Governor’s Chair and director of the UT-ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics. Bio Fuels Digest, Bright Surf, and ECN Magazine reported on the research.
Smith is the Governor’s Chair for Molecular Biophysics based in the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, and director of the UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics.