A fermentation strategy to eliminate deforestation in Taxol production 

Through novel methods in synthetic biology, this project has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enabling a shift away from carbon-intensive chemical synthesis of everyday materials (pharmaceuticals, ingredients, and plastics) toward low-carbon biomanufacturing. Taxol, a cancer drug, is currently made by extraction from a late-stage intermediate (baccatin III) from yew tree tissue or plant cell culture. The team has identified a complete bio-based route to baccatin III, the current Taxol precursor isolated from tree needles. The project aims to design, build, test, and scale a yeast production platform that enables a tree-free bio-based production from simple sugars.