The Michener research team studies and engineers proteins and bacteria to support a sustainable bioeconomy. We are particularly interested in understanding and engineering epistasis in biological systems through high-through, untargeted screens and selections coupled with advanced computational analysis. We focus on non-model microbes and uncharacterized enzymes to discover new biological tools and thereby address key Department of Energy missions.
The Michener research team is part of the Synthetic Biology Group in the Biosciences Division and the Biological and Environmental Systems Sciences Directorate.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is overseen by the DOE Office of Science, and managed by UT-Battelle. ORNL is located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee, outside Knoxville, and maintains close ties with the University of Tennessee.