The Alper Lab

The Alper Lab strives to perform high-quality, reproducible research to make new tools for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.

[TexasChE @TexasChE]

Join McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering as an assistant professor, tenure-track, starting Fall 2026. Ideal candidates have research connections to biotechnology and/or materials engineering. Learn more, and apply: https://t.co/TYGmwakLni.

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

A great upcoming conference to attend.

[American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) @ChEnected]

In his lecture "Engineering Biology to Develop a Taste for Waste" at #AIChEAnnual October 29 in San Diego, Hal Alper will address how #metabolic engineering and synthetic biology are improving how we deal with waste. https://t.co/MNwgmpFkUt @LabAlper #synbio

[Joint Genome Institute @jgi]

In an effort to re-circularize plastic waste in upcycled technologies, @LabAlper of @UTAustin will screen 1000s of untested enzymes that can degrade common plastics. @TexasChE
https://t.co/hocGsAMlgF

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

New @NatureComms review on the challenges and opportunities for using bio-based approaches to solve the plastics problem. @TexasChE
https://t.co/3rULAeJSw6

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

Here we discuss challenges and opportunities for biobased degradation of plastics:
https://t.co/3rULAeJSw6

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

New robust (growth-phase and scale-independent) promoters for S. cerevisiae

https://t.co/lRjIxijNrA

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

New @NatureComms paper published today on the de novo production of a suite of halogenated molecules produced using E. coli. 26 halogenated compounds produced including many new-to-nature.

https://t.co/LZcDMYCMRz

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

Recently we reported on a co-culture system enabled by Y. lipolytica to produce apigenin and isovitexin.
https://t.co/fx5LIBgNk8

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

We are thrilled to be working with @bit_Biome on a collaboration to find new plastic degrading enzymes and microbes! @soichirotsuda

https://t.co/3dguNuUgBQ

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

@soichirotsuda We are thrilled to be working with @bit_Biome on this collaboration!

[Michael C. Jewett @MichaelCJewett]

A sustainable future is biological. How can we engineer biology to make what we need? We worked with @LabAlper @jgi to explore accelerating biological design with flux enhanced cell-free systems. #syntheticbiology

https://t.co/b2tQX96Jn9

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

Excited to see our collaboration with @MichaelCJewett @JGI published. Here we combine metabolic engineering with cell-free biology to produce pre-optimized, flux enhanced cell extracts for rapid prototyping of pathways
https://t.co/zlAY4CIAzx

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

Our latest @NatureComms paper features a tripartite consortium for producing phenylpropanoids (including eugenol). Modular consortia can overcome enzyme promiscuity limitations. These consortia also work in Engineered Living Materials. @NelsonLabUW @NSF
https://t.co/jc2ZMA5JfZ

[DARPA @DARPA]

Three university teams and an industry performer will take initial steps to lessen risks associated with biomanufacturing capabilities in resource-limited environments, including space, as part of the DARPA B-SURE program #UF #UTAustin #WUSTL #Space_Tango https://t.co/3mn4pRD4Rt

[Food and Health @ UC Davis @UCDavisIIFH]

Our lab has been collaborating with the @LabAlper, @NelsonLabUW, and @AyokunleOlan among others to make engineered living materials! Imagine a building material that can photosynthesize, make chemicals, and repair itself! https://t.co/245KGvxltu

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

We're excited to announce the publication of our most recent article that utilizes microfluidic droplet screening to identify differential itaconic acid production phenotypes in yeast. Read it here: https://t.co/w5WG2phtKV

[The Alper Lab @LabAlper]

Biomanufacturing Blasts Off to Support Space Missions and, Potentially, Life on Other Planets @DARPA @TexasChE @Contreras_Lab https://t.co/htzcKps3Wc

[DARPA @DARPA]

Three university teams will explore and take initial steps to mitigate risks associated with manufacturing capabilities that rely on biological processes in space as part of the DARPA B-SURE program #UF #UTAustin #WUSTL https://t.co/b46H9lxu0D