Dr. Michael G. Benton, PhD
Department Chair
Bernard S. Pressburg Professor
Email : benton@lsu.edu
Phone : (225) 578-3056
CV : Dr. Michael Benton CV
Location : 3315R Patrick F. Taylor
Hall, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge,
LA 70803
About Me
Educational Background
PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007
MS, University of Alabama, 2002
BS in Biology, University of South Carolina, 1994
Research Interests
- Biochemical Engineering
- The role of DNA damage response in cancer prevention.
- Biosensors for the enhanced detection of carcinogens.
- Metabolic engineering of yeasts for increased ethanol production.
Research Projects
The recent proliferation of microarrays and other high throughput genomic screens has greatly increased our understanding of how gene expression is modulated under various cellular growth conditions. We are using these techniques to develop novel methods of monitoring real-time gene expression to characterize the cellular microenvironment. By monitoring gene expression changes within a cell, we can identify stresses present in the local environment, such as nutrient depletion and mutagenicity. Additionally, by modifying yeast gene expression patterns, we can improve metabolic performance to enhance the biomanufacturing of ethanol and other commodity products.