معرفی
Fernanda Da Cunha is a Research Assistant Professor in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and Operations Manager of the Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE) at Purdue University. Her work focuses on bioenergy systems, bioprocess optimization, and sustainable enzyme production using agricultural residues. She leads research in fungal enzyme production, biomass liquefaction, and biorefinery integration.
Her research integrates bioprocessing technologies with renewable resources, emphasizing enzyme production from cellulose-rich materials like sugarcane bagasse. She has pioneered non-conventional fermentation methods using agro-industrial wastes as feedstocks, advancing sustainable biomanufacturing practices.
Key contributions include developing models for high-solids biomass liquefaction and optimizing ultrafiltration systems for protein recovery. Da Cunha collaborates across disciplines to enhance biorefinery efficiency and reduce environmental impacts through techno-economic and lifecycle assessments.
Her laboratory (LORRE) is a hub for interdisciplinary bioenergy research, bridging fundamental science and industrial applications. Current projects explore live tissue sentinels for pathogen detection and dynamic modeling of bioprocesses under uncertainty.
