MSI researchers Professor Larry Wackett (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics) and Professor Michael Sadowsky (Soil, Water, and Climate) are two of the principal investigators on a project to develop innovative biotechnology to purify hydraulic fracturing (fracking) wastewater. The project has received a $600,000 grant under the National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for Innovation (NSF-PFI) program, which creates partnerships between academic researchers and companies to produce new technologies for public benefit. This is the first NSF-PFI grant awarded in Minnesota. More information can be found at the UMNews website.
Professor Wackett’s research group uses MSI resources for research into novel biocatalysis. Professor Sadowsky’s team is producing a database cataloging the biodiversity and functions of microbial life in the Mississippi River.