Yi Zheng
Associate Professor
Graduate Program Director
Education
PhD, University of California, Davis, 2007, Biosystems Engineering
MS, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China, 2003, Bioenvironmental Engineering
BS, Fuzhou University, China, 2000, Chemical Engineering
Bio Brief
Biomanufacturing is a type of advanced manufacturing technology that utilizes biological systems (i.e., cell factories) to produce commercially important intermediates and platform chemicals for use in food, feed, fuels, materials, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial applications. Compared to conventional manufacturing processes (CMP), biomanufacturing has less dependence on fossil energy and environmental impact while it could be used under extreme environmental conditions where CMP is difficult and even impossible. Dr. Yi Zheng has dedicated his research effort in the research and development of cost-efficient biomanufacturing technologies and processes to produce food, feed, fuels, and materials. Dr. Zheng’s current research cover projects on: (1) Lignin nanoparticle for energy storage and wearable sensor; (2) Biocementation to produce construction materials for space exploration; (3) Biological treatment of hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater; (4) Stimuli-responsive polymer for cell harvesting and intracellular product recovery; (5) Bioleaching to remove sulfur from biomass to improve thermal conversion of biomass; and (6) Starch biotransformation to anticancer pharmaceuticals. His research has been funded by NSF, DOE, USDA, NASA, and industries.
Awards
2019 NSF CAREER Awardee
· Section Editor for International Journal of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, 2018-
· Topic editor of Frontiers of Microbiology: Biological strategies to enhance the anaerobic digestion performance: Fundamentals and process development, 2020-
· Chair for ASABE ES 220 Committee: Bio-based Energy, Fuels and Products Committee, 2017-2019
· The Best Paper Award, International Journal of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, 2019
· IEEE A&A Review Panel, 2015
· Top 12 postdoctoral researchers, UCDavis, 2009
· Senior member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE (2009)
· Graduate student presentation competition award, first prize, ASABE, CA/NV 2007
· Graduate Student Researcher Award, UCDavis, 2006
· Student Paper Competition Award, AOCABFE, 200
