From Waste to Wealth: Ran Mei Teams Up with SIU Professor to Study Microplastic-Degrading Algae and Biofuel Production

EES Assistant Professor Ran Mei has been awarded the 2025 Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) Sustaining Illinois Seed Grant for a collaborative research project that tackles the dual challenges of microplastic pollution and renewable energy production.

Microplastic (MP) pollution poses an escalating global threat to human health and ecosystem integrity. Among various remediation strategies, algal treatment is promising owing to its strong absorption and biodegradation capacity, low carbon and energy footprint, and potential for producing value-added products such as biofuels. This collaboration—led by Professor Himali Delanka-Pedige of Southern Illinois University Carbondale—will explore the MP-degrading potential of Galdieria sulphuraria, an extremophilic algal species hypothesized to outperform other candidates due to its exceptional stress tolerance. Ran will focus on investigating the genetic and morphological responses of the algae to various growth conditions using cutting-edge sequencing and imaging techniques. The outcomes of this seed project aim to advance fundamental knowledge on MP–algae interactions and help build a foundation for real-world applications across Illinois and beyond—integrating sustainable waste management with renewable biomass production.

This project offers exciting opportunities for students interested in microbiology, environmental biotechnology, and bioinformatics. Reach out to Ran to learn more.