Jill Fuss, research scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division, and Steve Yannone, former MBIB scientist, are creating the future of clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and electronics. Both are currently participating in Cyclotron Road, which is using the “Backstories” series to shine a light on the  journeys researchers have taken to develop their technologies through videos and storytelling.

The company Fuss and Yannone founded is called CinderBio, which uses extremophile microbes to produce industrial enzymes that can withstand very high temperatures and acidic environments. Through the startup, the two plan on commercializing these enzymes to be used for a variety of industrial applications, such as cleaning food processing equipment and as a safe and effective replacement for harmful chemical agents.