Xuejun Pan

Xuejun Pan is the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and Douglas D. Sorenson Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He holds affiliations with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and leads research in lignocellulosic biomass conversion, biorefinery processes, and sustainable materials. His work emphasizes pretreatment strategies for biomass, enzymatic saccharification, and valorization of lignin into high-value chemicals and materials.

Education: Ph.D. in Applied Bioscience (Hokkaido University, Japan, 1999); Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China, 1993).

Research interests focus on: biomass fractionation via molten salt hydrates (e.g., lithium bromide), production of biofuels/chemicals from lignocellulose, synthesis of functional materials (e.g., aerogels, composites), and development of prebiotics from agricultural wastes. His lab explores green chemistry solutions for biorefining and environmental applications.

Notable contributions include the development of cellulose II aerogels for energy harvesting, lignin-based antioxidants, and recyclable biomass-derived plastics. His work bridges fundamental chemistry with scalable industrial processes.

Awards include the Vilas Mid-Career Investigator Award (2018), NSF Career Award (2009), and Andrew Chase Award (2021). His research is supported by grants focusing on biomass valorization and sustainable materials.

Lab facilities include the Biorefining Lab (http://biorefining.bse.wisc.edu/) where interdisciplinary teams advance bioprocess innovations. Current projects target scalable biomass conversion systems and functional biomaterials for energy and environmental applications.