Buz M. Barstow

Buz M. Barstow is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His work focuses on applying synthetic biology to develop sustainable energy solutions, particularly through microbial systems and nano-biohybrid technologies. He holds an MSci (1st class) from Imperial College (2001) and a PhD in Applied Physics from Cornell University (2009).

Research Interests: Barstow’s research integrates physics, biology, and engineering to address global challenges like renewable energy and carbon sequestration. His lab explores microbial processes for rare earth element extraction, carbon capture, and energy-efficient electron transfer mechanisms in quantum dot-microbe systems. These efforts aim to create scalable, sustainable technologies for resource recovery and energy production.

Awards & Honors:

• Burroughs-Wellcome Career Award at the Scientific Interface

Teaching & Student Impact: Barstow teaches courses such as BEE 3280/5280 Systems and Synthetic Biology for Sustainable Energy and BEE 3600/5600 Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering. In recent years, student co-authors from his classes have contributed to peer-reviewed publications. His teaching emphasizes mathematical modeling and experimental design in synthetic biology.

Lab & Outreach: The Barstow Lab actively engages in interdisciplinary collaborations and communicates research via social media (Twitter and Instagram). Recent breakthroughs include microbial carbon sequestration advancements and insights into nano-biohybrid electron pathways.