hero biorenewable

Center for Biorenewables

Building a greener future through innovation and education relating to biorenewable food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, materials, and energy

Plants for People

Plants have been used by people for millennia to help meet the basic needs of food, clothing, warmth, and shelter, and have also provided a rich diversity of substances for human health. By harnessing solar power using photosynthesis and evolving a myriad of biosynthetic pathways, plants embody natural chemical factories that produce energy-rich and unique biomolecules.  

Our center seeks to bring together Penn State’s broad expertise in plant biology, genomics, microbiology, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, bioengineering, and other related fields to make the discoveries that will enable to plants to meet the current and future needs of human society, sustainably. 

The Center for Biorenewables is jointly funded by Penn State Institutes for Energy and the Environment and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.