Faculty-Invited Speaker: Dr. Ahmad Abdel-Mawgoud (CANCELLED)

PLEASE NOTE THIS SEMINAR HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Dr. Ahmad Abdel-Mawgoud from Université Laval in Quebec City will be delivering a talk on December 12, 2025 at 2:30 pm in the MSL seminar room (MSL 102). This visit has been organized by Dr. Thibault Mayor, and is being co-presented by the Michael Smith Laboratories and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Talk title: Metabolic Engineering of Yeasts for Biodiesel and Rhamnolipid Production

Abstract: Biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters) is a renewable, cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum diesel, but its inherent poor cold-flow properties—driven by the composition of conventional plant-based feedstock oils—currently prevent its use as a standalone fuel in cold climates. We addressed this limitation by engineering oleaginous yeast oil, which offers significant ethical and technical advantages over modifying plant lipids. We first utilized mathematical models and full-factorial central composite design to predict the optimal cold-adapted fatty acid composition required for enhanced fuel performance. Subsequently, we engineered Yarrowia lipolytica by introducing simple and combined mutations in target lipid-associated genes to achieve this predicted profile. This metabolic engineering successfully generated modified fatty acid profiles whose resultant biodiesel is predicted to have enhanced cold-flow properties while maintaining a small, standard-compliant reduction in cetane number. Notably, several constructed mutants exhibited a remarkable 2–3 fold increase in total lipid titers compared to the parent strain. Ultimately, this research establishes a foundational methodology for producing genetically engineered biodiesel (GEB) with the necessary functional and economic metrics to achieve its widespread adoption as a standalone fuel. We will also present an overview of another ongoing project focused on the Metabolic Engineering of Yeasts for Biodiesel and Rhamnolipid Production.