BioMADE, a public-private partnership funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, announced 17 new projects that will drive the scale-up and commercialization of American bio-manufactured products. They include producing biodegradable plastics; upcycling waste to create new products; certification programs to prepare the workforce of tomorrow’s U.S. bio-economy; developing cell-free systems for commodity chemicals; and more.

The projects highlight the breadth and depth of BioMADE’s membership, representing 30 member organizations — spanning 18 states from New York to Texas — throughout the private and nonprofit sectors, academic research institutions, and community colleges. According to BioMADE, the work will revitalize American manufacturing by advancing and commercializing the bio-industrial production of components incorporated into everyday items; reshoring manufacturing jobs; and bolstering a domestic supply chain of commodity and platform chemicals. 

“America’s leadership in research must be matched by leadership in process and scale-up capability. That is what today’s biomanufacturing announcement is all about,” said Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Dr. Arati Prabhakar. “That’s how the vision of engineering living cells to sustainably produce chemicals, materials, and structures will become a reality. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we can lead the world in biomanufacturing.”

“The next five to ten years will determine the global leader of the bioeconomy. At BioMADE, we believe the U.S. is uniquely positioned to seize this opportunity,” said Dr. Douglas Friedman, chief executive officer at BioMADE. “We are proud to support these member-driven projects that will translate our country’s rich history of biotechnology innovation into manufacturing leadership. All Americans will benefit from investments in America’s bio-industrial manufacturing future.” 

Bio-industrial manufacturing uses biological systems — including microbes such as bacteria, yeast, and algae — to produce materials and chemicals that are incorporated into products, such as bio-based cement, plant-based nylon, paints and adhesives, and more. The processes are powered by feedstocks from the United States, such as corn, woody biomass, waste gases, and agricultural waste — thereby creating new markets for farmers, spurring rural job growth nationwide, ending U.S. reliance on foreign materials imports, and manufacturing sustainable products on American soil.

“The U.S. has all the foundational pieces to build a flourishing bio-economy. Working collaboratively across the public and private sectors, we can overcome challenges on the road to commercialization,” said Dr. Melanie Tomczak, head of programs and chief technology officer at BioMADE. “Our incredible members are developing the technology behind the bio-based products of tomorrow. These projects will help to bridge the gap between bio-industrial manufacturing and U.S. consumers, stocking store shelves with more sustainable products and giving ‘Made in America’ a renewed meaning.” 

By supporting the scale-up of bio-industrial manufacturing technology from research labs to commercial production, BioMADE and its network of nearly 300 members across 37 states are strengthening American competitiveness, securing the U.S. supply chain, reshoring manufacturing jobs, supporting rural development and domestic agriculture, and producing more sustainable products untethered from reliance on petroleum. BioMADE is building a diverse and globally competitive STEM workforce, preparing American workers to fill new jobs throughout the U.S. bio-industrial manufacturing ecosystem, including BioMADE’s national infrastructure network of pilot-scale facilities. BioMADE was catalyzed by the U.S. Department of Defense and is a member of Manufacturing USA^®. 

The 17 projects have $13.9 million federal funds and $13 million non-federal cost share. Below are several projects of interest to the CASE industry. 

• The "Greener Chemistry via Process Integration and Intensification at Pilot Scale" project will domestically bio-manufacture Ecoteria™, a bio-based malonate product platform. The resulting products will provide materials for industries including fragrances, coatings, agricultural chemicals, and more. California-based Lygos is the team member involved in this project. 
• The "Upcycling Wastes to Carboxylic Acids by Integrating Fermentation and Separation" project will convert diverse organic waste streams into high-value medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) such as caproic and caprylic acid. These bioproducts serve as pivotal platform chemicals for a multitude of applications, including as materials, consumer products, and chemicals that are currently produced from petrochemicals. Members involved in this project include the Maryland-based Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering and Utah-based Technology Holding and CleanJoule.
• The "Engineered Yeast Lysis to Intensify Intracellular Product Recovery" project has researchers collaborating to improve intracellular product recovery from yeast systems by engineering programmed lysis of the cell wall. This research will enhance biomanufacturers’ ability to commercialize many bioproducts that accumulate intracellularly, such as lipids, vitamins, pigments, proteins, biosurfactants, and polysaccharides. Member teams on this project include Georgia-based Manus and the University of Texas at Austin. 
• The "Sustainable Bio-Acrylics and Organic Acids Separations Through Novel Techniques" project will accelerate the commercialization of the anaerobic bio-production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) – an important molecule that’s a precursor to the $25 billion acrylates industry – by leveraging existing ethanol infrastructure. Acrylates have diverse applications, including consumer products paints, and adhesives. Members of this project include Nebraska-based Bluestem Biosciences, South Dakota-based ideaCHEM, Iowa State University, Southeast Community College in Nebraska. 
• Team members Binghamton University in New York and NCERC at SIUE in Illinois are creating a new "Biomanufacturing Project Management Certificate Program" that will help create a resilient workforce skilled at both guiding diverse teams and fostering innovation in biomanufacturing. The program will include a core program and two elective tracks, plus industry-informed projects focused on green chemistry biomanufacturing.
• "Sustainable Carbon Fiber Made from Waste" is using waste products, such as ethanol and carbon dioxide, to help create a domestic supply chain for biobased carbon fiber. The team for this project includes California-based Industrial Microbes, Georgia Tech University, and Georgia-based FERMWORX. 

Read about all the new projects and learn more about BioMADE by visiting biomade.org.