Jonathan S Schilling

Biodeterioration and Biodegradation

• Wood biodegradation (fundamental mechanisms)
• Organic acid production by wood-degrading fungi
• Metal and organic pollutant tolerance/resistance in fungi
• Woody and mixed feedstock bioprocessing
• Microbial ecology and forest biogeochemistry

Wood-degrading microbes are uniquely adapted to metabolize carbon from recalcitrant, nitrogen-poor lignocellulose. These organisms, principally basidiomycetous fungi, are managed pests in the built environment; however, they play a vital role in forest biogeochemistry, and their mechanisms offer commercial potential in biofuels, bioplastics, and bioremediation. My research therefore aims to better characterize the mechanisms of wood biodegradation and to apply this information to wood preservation, forest management, and ‘green’ biotechnology.