Scientists at national laboratories and universities are working to understand and harness complex biological systems to advance missions within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER). This research is providing fundamental understanding of plant and microbial physiology, microbiomes, and biological systems. Within BER, the Biological Systems Science Division’s multidisciplinary portfolio includes the broad research themes of bioenergy, biosystems design, and environmental microbiome research. This research is underpinning advances in sustainable biofuels and bioproducts, the design and optimization of plants and microbes for beneficial purposes, and innovative approaches and technologies for systems biology research. [More]
User Experiences
Neutrons—Making Sustainable Biofuels July 2, 2018 
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using neutrons to understand why certain hydrocarbons produced by blue-green algae are important to their biology. Read more...
Cyanobacterial Studies Examine Cellular Structure During Nitrogen Starvation November 15, 2017 
Using nondestructive neutron scattering techniques, scientists are examining how single-celled organisms called cyanobacteria produce oxygen and obtain energy through photosynthesis. Read more...
Featured Highlights
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News and Events
Bio-Imaging Workshop: X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy – March 2, 2021. Further information and agenda.
Virtual SSRL-EMSL Workshop: Spectroscopy and Modeling for Molecular Insight into Environmental Processes – January 26, 2021. Further information and agenda.
ORNL CSMB-funded student Jacob Sumner was a finalist in the ORISE DOE Ignite Off capsule talk competition. See his presentation on Protein Shape Reconstruction with Neutron Scattering and Computational Tools.