Jianping Yu

Jianping Yu is a Researcher in Molecular Biology at the Biosciences Center of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University (2001–2005) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship there (1997–2001). His education includes a Master's in Genetics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a PhD in Plant Biology from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor's in Biology from Sichuan University.

His research focuses on cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, exploring molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis and developing biotechnologies for biofuels, biofertilizers, and environmental applications like wastewater treatment and metal recovery. Key projects include genetic engineering of cyanobacteria for ethylene and organic acid production, microbial biocontainment strategies, and carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus metabolism studies.

• Research Interests: Photosynthesis, Biotechnology, Carbon Metabolism, Nitrogen Biofertilizer, Wastewater Treatment, Metal Recovery
• Awards: R&D 100 Award (2015), R&D Editor's Choice Award (2015)
• Professional Memberships: Algal Biomass Organization, International Society of Photosynthesis Research
• Editorial Roles: Frontiers in Plant Science

Yu’s recent work emphasizes improving photosynthetic efficiency, metabolic pathway engineering, and sustainable bioenergy solutions through systems biology approaches.