Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) has recently appointed two leading scientists to step into the roles of chief science officers. Melissa Cregger and Carrie Eckert are set to navigate the organization's efforts in pioneering biomass and biofuels research. According to an announcement published on ORNL's official news page, Cregger is tasked with developing non-food feedstock crops. Eckert is tasked with reforming methods to transform plant biomass into biofuels and other valuable materials.
Cregger's expertise lies in plant-microbe interactions, a field where her research has garnered significant recognition, including a DOE Early Career Award in 2021 and the distinction of the Presidential Early Career Award in 2025. "I am honored to serve as a co-lead for CBI’s science mission," Cregger expressed, "I look forward to continuing my work focused on feedstock development as well as stewarding research in this domain across the interdisciplinary CBI network," ORNL reported.
On the other hand, Eckert brings her prowess in synthetic biology to the fore. She's contributed to biofuels and biomaterials innovation by developing efficient microbes. "I am excited to be co-leading biotechnology innovations across CBI’s network of scientists," Eckert said. Her work spans various scientific initiatives, including leading the Synthetic Biology Group, co-leading the Secure Ecosystem Engineering and Design Science Focus Area, and engineering for the DOE Agile BioFoundry, as mentioned in the ORNL news release.
