About

Chemurgy 2.0

The vision of the "Building Capacity across Iowa to Meet Human Needs from Things that Grow" (Chemurgy 2.0) project is for Iowa to become an advanced biomanufacturing leader by adapting and modernizing the concept of "chemurgy." The term was first introduced by George Washington Carver to mean "applied chemistry with a focus on producing industrial products from agricultural material." The Iowa NSF EPSCoR project advances this vision by building and integrating research capacity in biosciences and advanced manufacturing, two key areas identified as important to the State of Iowa. 

Chemurgy's 2.0 focus is on the manufacturing of proteins, vaccines and therapeutics; the manufacturing of biochemicals and biofibers; 3D-printing and composite fabrication processes that utilize biochemicals and biofibers; and applications of data science and artificial intelligence. The development of plastics for additive manufacturing (PAM), fibers for flexible and rigid materials (FFR), and proteins for diagnostics and therapeutics (PDT) will benefit society by providing bio-based and sustainable materials for health and consumer applications. 

Chemurgy 2.0 is administered by Iowa State University in collaboration with the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, Dordt University, and Central College. Iowa NSF EPSCoR project provides research experiences and educational opportunities for preservice teachers and undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented groups, including first-generation and rural students. We believe that with this project, research infrastructure will be improved not only at Iowa research universities but also at predominantly undergraduate institutions in Iowa.

The Chemurgy 2.0 research program will build capacity in meeting human needs from things that grow in three focal areas: 

  • Plastics for Additive Manufacturing (PAM)
  • Fibers for Flexible and Rigid materials (FFR) 
  • Proteins for Diagnostics and Therapeutics (PDT). 

Data science is a cross-cutting theme throughout all focal areas. The structure of each thematic area supports a "discover," "optimize," "scale-up-to manufacture" pipeline that forms an iterative and interconnected loop spanning from the discovery of bio-inspired building blocks to manufacturing applications. PAM links the biomanufacturing of monomers to the Additive Manufacturing (AM) sector. FFR links biofibers to AM, textiles, and medical product manufacture. PDT focuses on larger bio-derived molecules, such as proteins and cell products, and connects them with diagnostics and therapeutics production. 

Overall, Chemurgy 2.0 addresses three intersecting problems: biomanufacturing, which, relative to other sectors, is underdeveloped in Iowa; the critical physical and cyberinfrastructure needs for biomanufacutring that are currently lacking; and workforce capacity, which is severely constrained in the state. 

Chemurgy 2.0 is expected to increase research infrastructure and workforce in the basic and applied science and engineering fields related to biomanufacturing and digital industrial technologies. Data-driven educational interventions and the implementation of outreach activities across the state will increase and diversify the Iowa biomanufacturing workforce. Project-based communications with Iowa residents and beyond will build scientific literacy and understanding of Chemurgy 2.0's role in achieving advanced biomanufacturing in Iowa.

This project is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under NSF Award No. 2242763. 

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Logo left with EPSCoR logo far right

Land use acknowledgement

Iowa NSF EPSCoR aims to support a welcoming and inclusive environment where diverse individuals can succeed and thrive. We would like to acknowledge those who have previously taken care of the land on which this project will be performed.

  • The site of Iowa State University was previously the ancestral lands and territory of the Baxoje (bah-kho-dzhe), or Ioway Nation.
  • The University of Iowa is located on the homelands of the Ojibwe/Anishinaabe (Chippewa), Báxoȷ̌e (Iowa), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Omāēqnomenēwak (Menominee), Myaamiaki (Miami), Nutachi (Missouri), Umoⁿhoⁿ (Omaha), Wahzhazhe (Osage), Jiwere (Otoe), Odawaa (Ottawa), Póⁿka (Ponca), Bodéwadmi/Neshnabé (Potawatomi), Meskwaki/Nemahahaki/Sakiwaki (Sac and Fox), Dakota/Lakota/Nakoda, Sahnish/Nuxbaaga/Nuweta (Three Affiliated Tribes) and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Nations.
  • There are also 28 nations that have sacred ancestral ties to the site of the University of Northern Iowa, such as the Dakota, the Santee and the Winnebago.
  • The site of Central College was cared for by the Iowa people (Báxoje), the Fox (Meskwaki), the Sauk (Êshkwîha or Yochikwîka), and the Sioux (Očhéthi Šakówiŋ).
  • The site of Dordt University was homeland to the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ and the Yankton.
  • The Umoⁿhoⁿ (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa), Póⁿka (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska), Meskwaki (Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa), and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) Nations continue to thrive in the State of Iowa.

Learn more here: https://native-land.ca/


George Washington Carver

 

NSF LogoThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No.2242763