Advance sustainable energy, develop biomanufacturing solutions, and improve human health
Biological Systems and Engineering (BSE) Division investigators lead efforts that combine the power of biology with the tools of engineering to address critical challenges in energy and health.
Much of the research that happens in the Division takes place within programs supported by various funders.
In addition to directing the BSE Division, Simmons serves as the Chief Scientific and Technology Officer and Vice President of the Deconstruction Division at the US Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). is expertise includes biofuels, renewable chemicals, biomanufacturing, abiotic-biotic interfaces, biomass pretreatment, enzyme engineering, biofuel cells, templated nanomaterials, microfluidics, desalination, and biomineralization.
A senior scientist and a principal investigator in the Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes Molecular Assemblies (ENIGMA) Science Focus Area, Mukhopadhyay leads a multidisciplinary team to study stress response in bacteria using microbiological, biochemical, and systems biology tools. Additionally, she is the Vice President of the Fuels Synthesis Division and the Director of Host Engineering at JBEI.
Heady gained over 20 years of experience working at Merck and Princeton University before joining Berkeley Lab as part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Biosciences Area in 2014. Most recently, he was the Finance and Business Operations Manager for JBEI, BSE Division, and the EmeryStation East Operations Center overseeing all financial and administrative responsibilities.
A computational senior staff scientist and Director of Synthetic Biology Informatics at JBEI, Hillson develops and demonstrates experimental wetware, software, and laboratory automation devices that facilitate, accelerate, and standardize the engineering of microbes.
Mukundan is Chemical and Biological Technologies Program Lead in the Lab’s Office of National Homeland Security and the Biosciences Area’s Strategic Programs Development Group. Since she joined the Lab in September 2022, she has been leading chemical and biological technologies program development and establishing her lab in the Biosciences Area.
Tanjore is Director of the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) and interfaces with scientists from industry, academia, and start-ups that are trying to resolve scale-up challenges for their synthetic biology–based technologies.
Biodesign Department researchers apply their skills and knowledge to the pursuit of basic science discovery and technology development enabling the biomanufacture of fuels, chemicals, and materials.
The aim of the Bioengineering and Biomedical Sciences Department is to develop and apply a predictive, multi-scale, and integrative understanding of biological responses of metazoans to environmental challenges.
The Process Engineering and Analytics Department is focused on bridging the gap between lab-scale research and the commercial deployment of efficient and cost-effective biomanufacturing processes.
We are committed to ensuring an open and welcoming workplace for all employees, contractors, affiliates, and visitors. This expectation applies to all roles and levels–from managers to supervisors to individual contributors–in the Division.
BSE research scientist and Deputy Director of Host Engineering at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) Thomas Eng is using the gene editing tool CRISPR to create a more sustainable plastic.
