Scientists at Oregon State University have received two of the 10 federal grants to accelerate genomic research in cellulosic biofuel feedstock crops, which many believe will be the future of ethanol and an alternative to food-based biofuels.
"Ethanol made from cellulose, instead of a food crops such as corn, is clearly one direction the future of biofuels is headed," said Todd Mockler, an assistant professor of botany at OSU. "These projects will all lay the groundwork for applied studies in this field, and give us the fundamental knowledge we need to make cellulosic ethanol more efficiently and help it become a working reality."

Instead of being made from corn, biofuels can also be made from cellulose, the primary structural component of green plants and one of the most common organic compounds on Earth. The ethanol produced from cellulose is chemically identical to that from other sources, such as corn starch or sugar.