The University’s Complex Carbohydrate Research Center was granted $3.1 million to continue research on complex carbohydrates of plants and various microbes that interact with plants, thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The center also received $20 million of a $135 million BioEnergy Science Center grant in 2007 to study biofuel technology.

“Most plants you see when you look outside are composed of sugars, or complex carbohydrates,” said Alan Darvill, plant biology director of the center. “We are trying to develop methods to break down this plant material into sugars that can be fermented into biofuel.”

“The research is not only important for the economy, but also for geopolitical stability in that we can eventually replace the need for petroleum,” he said. “As of right now, corn is the primary crop used to make ethanol in the U.S. An alternative may work better.”

Darvill said switchgrass would be an ideal source to convert to ethanol because neither humans nor the livestock industry heavily rely on it.

At the center, researchers study how complex carbohydrates affect development in animals, plants and humans.

Darvill said about half of the center’s research addresses biomedical problems and fighting disease.

“In general, complex carbohydrates are biologically important because of their roles within the human body, plants and bacteria,” said Parastoo Azadi, technical director and associate research scientist.

She said multiple research projects contribute to the world’s scientific understanding. In human health, carbohydrates are at the base of functions such as development and immunology.

The center’s 18 interdisciplinary research groups work on projects, including bioenergy and the detection of cancerous or precancerous cells.

Many departments on campus collaborate with the center, and several universities depend on its specialized research services.

“The center is one of a kind in the world,” Azadi said.

She said the center serves as a resource for other universities and provides training sessions to students and visiting scientists. It has resources for pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies. Most facilities operate behind closed doors, but Azadi said the center does the opposite. She said officials at the center train and collaborate with other professionals or students.