Interview with Professor Kenneth Keegstra

Abstract

Professor Ken Keegstra studied chemistry at Hope College (Holland, MI, USA), later receiving his doctoral degree in biochemistry from the University of Colorado (Boulder, CO, USA). After faculty positions at the State University of New York (Stony Brook, NY, USA) and University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI, USA) he is now a University Distinguished Professor at the Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI, USA), and Scientific Director of the Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (Madison, WI, USA). He has received several honors, including the 2006 Stephen Hales Prize from ASPB, 2006 AAAS Fellow and the 2007 ASPB Fellow. As a distinguished expert in the functioning of plants, Professor Keegstra speaks to Ruth Williamson, Commissioning Editor of Biofuels, about the importance of plant biology in improving processing and sustainability traits of biofuel feedstocks, our understanding of lignin modification, and important future directions for the role of academic- and industry-led research.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was funded by the Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (Department of Energy BER Office of Science DE-FC02-07ER64494). The interviewee has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.