The Biorefining Research Initiative (BRI) at Lakehead University

In March 2007 the Government of Ontario awarded $6 million to Lakehead University to create two endowed Ontario Research Chairs in support of cutting-edge research in biorefining – a field that develops ways of refining renewable forest biomass materials in a sustainable manner. This significant research funding established the foundation of BRI and enabled Lakehead University to recruit world-class researchers in the biorefining field to develop transformative technologies and products from forest biomass.

Dr. Robert F.H. Dekker, a distinguished Australian biochemist who has conducted collaborative research projects in Brazil, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain, accepted the leadership of BRI as its Founding Director and holds a Senior Ontario Research Chair. The other team members of the BRI include Dr. Wensheng Qin (Ontario Research Chair), an expert in molecular biology and plant biotechnology from Stanford University, and Dr. Wely Floriano, an expert in bioinformatics and computational biology on computer-assisted molecular design techniques from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

To enhance and complement the research talent pool at BRI, a SHARCNET/MMRC Molecular Simulation Research Chair (held by Dr. Floriano) collaboratively funded by the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network (SHARCNET) and Molecular Medicine Research Centre, now known as Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI) has been added. The Chair will utilize Lakehead University's high-performance computing facilities and TBRRI’s state-of-the-art biomedical imaging facilities to design, model, and test novel molecules and enzymes used in the conversion of plant biomass, and development of new biomarkers.

The official launch of Lakehead University’s Biorefining Research Initiative (BRI) took place on October 6, 2008 in Thunder Bay (Ontario), and marks another step toward making Lakehead University a national leader in forestry-based research and innovation, and bringing increased bioeconomy-based prosperity to the Thunder Bay region. The goal of the BRI is to create a world-class centre of excellence dedicated to developing transformative technologies and products based upon biomass from the Boreal Forest.

The vision of the Biorefining Research Initiative is not limited to fuels and forest biomass for bioenergy, but also considers the economic benefits derived from the forest ecosystem. By creating valuable products from renewable biomass, we can reduce our dependence upon fossil fuels, while at the same time creating new businesses and jobs.