Education
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota Duluth
Honors and Awards
UMD Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor, 2017
SCSE Young Teacher Award, 2014
Omega Chi Epsilon Award, 2011
Roy J. Carver Fellowship in Molecular Biophysics, Iowa State University, 2007-2009
Interest Areas
Metabolic engineering of plant tissue systems
Metabolite profiling of alkaloid compounds
Biochemical engineering, bioprocess engineering, biological engineering
Biorenewable Fuels, Chemicals, and Materials
Brief Bio
Professor Sander utilizes his background in bioengineering to teach courses in biochemical engineering and the production and utilization of biorenewable energy and materials, as well as heat and mass transfer. His current research and teaching interests are the metabolic engineering of plant tissues for increased production of valuable chemicals, identification and quantification of plant metabolites, sustainable engineering, and the demonstration of hands-on engineering. Professor Sander is active in sustainability groups on campus, working with undergraduate researchers in his lab, and leads the department’s Biochemical Engineering minor. In his free time, he enjoys landscaping his yard, photography, exploring the Great Outdoors with his family, and tinkering in his garage.Â
Research Projects
Catharanthus roseus hairy roots
This interesting plant tissue culture allows the investigation of the biosynthetic pathways that C. roseus (Madagascar periwinkle) employs for the production of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). Many of these TIAs are pharmaceutically active or of pharmaceutical interest. The research work aims to profile the TIAs and other metabolites produced by the plant tissue culture, use various instrumentation techniques to identify new or unknown metabolites, resolve biosynthetic pathways, identify metabolic regulatory pathways, and use metabolic engineering to alter the production of TIAs.
Fungal enzymes for processing lignocellulosic biomass and wastes streams
Investigation of the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels, chemicals, and materials using fungal enzymes to reduce the chemicals and energy consumed to process the biomass.Â
Courses Currently Teaching
ChE 3112 Heat and Mass Transfer
ChE 4601/5601 Biochemical Engineering I
ChE 4701/5701 Biochemical Engineering II
ChE 4603 Biorenewable Resources
ChE 4502 Chemical Engineering Design II
Selected Recent Publications
Li, Chunyao, Alex Leopold, Guy W. Sander, Jacqueline V. Shanks, Le Zhao, and Susan I. Gibson. (2015) CrBPF1 overexpression alters transcript levels of terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthetic and regulatory genes. Frontiers in Plant Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.00818.
Zhao, Le, Guy W. Sander, and Jacqueline V. Shanks. (2013) Perspectives of the metabolic engineering of terpenoid indole alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots. Advances in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/10_2013_182.Â
Peebles, Christie A. M., Guy W. Sander, Erik H. Hughes, Ryan Peacock, Jacqueline V. Shanks, and Ka-Yiu San. (2011) The expression of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose synthase and geraniol-10-hydroxylase or anthranilate synthase increases terpenoid indole alkaloid accumulation in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots. Metabolic Engineering. 13: 234-240. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2010.11.005.Â
Peebles, Christie A. M., Guy W. Sander, Mai Li, Jacqueline V. Shanks, and Ka-Yiu San. (2009) Five Year Maintenance of the Inducible Expression of Anthranilate Synthase in Catharanthus roseus Hairy Roots. Biotechnology and Bioengineering. 102(5): 1521-1525. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bit.22173.Â