Understanding the expression patterns of simple, synthetic gene regulatory networks will not only shed light into the complexity of naturally occurring networks, but it will also provide a platform for expression control ...

The purpose of this work is two-fold: (1) to develop a novel mathematical and computational framework that incorporates the major sources of cell population heterogeneity and (2) to use this framework to demonstrate the ...

Intentional amendment of soil with charcoal (called biochar) is a promising new approach to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide and increase soil fertility. However, the environmental properties of biochars can vary with ...

Cell population balance models can account for the phenotypic heterogeneity that characterizes isogenic cell populations. To utilize the predictive power of these models, however, we must determine the single-cell reaction ...

Many recent studies on the relative costs and benefits of biofuels have raised the need for a detailed and rigorous analysis of the operations of a biorefinery that is focused on optimization. The current thesis concentrates ...

The effect of process conditions on coal pyrolysis and char reactivity is systematically studied using the thermogravimetric reactor equipped with in-situ video microscopy imaging (TGA/VMI). This system provides a complete ...

The design of artificial genetic networks constitutes a powerful tool to regulate cellular physiology. Simple regulatory structures comprised of a few interacting genes can be assembled to engineer desirable phenotypes and ...

The internal pore structure of chars derived from many bituminous and sub-bituminous coals can be best described by bi-modal pore size distribution. Their macropores, which account for nearly all the porosity, are ...

This study reports the results from experimental and theoretical studies aimed at elucidating the effects of particle pore structure and process conditions on the ignition of coal and char particles. A novel reactor combining ...

Coal pyrolysis and combustion have been systematically investigated at high temperatures where external and intraparticle transfer limitations become important. A thermogravimetric reactor equipped with in-situ video imaging ...