Showing 703 results for Organization: Biological and Environmental Systems Science Directorate
August 28, 2026
10 MIN READ
ORNL researchers developed an agentic AI co-scientist that analyzes plant experiments to accelerate phytomining research and support domestic critical mineral recovery. As part of DOE's Genesis Mission OPAL project, the system reduced analysis time for more than 1,000 plant traits from hundreds of hours to a few minutes.
August 24, 2026
2 MIN READ
ORNL researchers evaluated nearly 500,000 CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs in E. coli and found that more than 93 percent work as intended. Their free gRNA Atlas helps scientists select reliable guides and engineer microbes more efficiently for producing chemicals, materials and medicines.
August 10, 2026
5 MIN READ
Researchers at ORNL and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have made a scientific advance by using a natural substance from fungi, called chitin, to create hydrogels that are both significantly stronger and tougher. This new material could lead to safer medical devices, longer-lasting coatings and other innovations that improve everyday technology and health care.
August 6, 2026
6 MIN READ
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers developed a high-throughput microbial QTL mapping platform that combines synthetic biology, AI, automation and gene editing to identify the genetic basis of complex bacterial traits up to 10 times faster than previous methods. The platform enables more precise engineering of microbes for applications including specialty chemicals manufacturing, bioenergy and critical minerals recovery, and is available for licensing.
July 27, 2026
6 MIN READ
ORNL water resources engineer Carly Hansen studies how existing non-powered dams could also support hydropower without disrupting their current purposes. An ORNL-led assessment with Idaho National Laboratory identified 4 gigawatts of potential hydropower capacity at a subset of more than 2,600 non-powered dams using improved streamflow data and site-specific modeling.
July 23, 2026
6 MIN READ
Mengjun Shu, a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, uses big data, statistical modeling and artificial intelligence to study how trees respond to environmental stress and identify traits that can improve biomass crops such as poplar. Her research combines genetics, plant imaging and microbial studies to advance biotechnology for U.S. manufacturing and agriculture while helping scientists better understand tree resilience.
July 22, 2026
4 MIN READ
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists will lead nine and contribute to an additional 30 projects of the Genesis Mission, which aims to transform science in the U.S.
July 21, 2026
8 MIN READ
The Department of Energy’s Center for Bioenergy Innovation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has named Adam Guss, John Lovell and Dan Olson as team leads for its Rapid Genetics, Poplar and Consolidated Bioprocessing research teams. The three scientists will help guide research spanning genetic engineering, poplar feedstocks and microbial bioprocessing to support CBI’s biotechnology mission.
July 20, 2026
3 MIN READ
Caleigh Samuels of ORNL has received the 2026 Elda E. Anderson Award from the Health Physics Society for her research excellence and contributions to radiation protection. She leads radiation dosimetry efforts at ORNL's Center for Radiation Protection Knowledge and supports national and international radiation safety initiatives.
July 8, 2026
10 MIN READ
ARM is modernizing its data center with AI-ready computing, storage, and software infrastructure to make its 30+ years of atmospheric data easier and faster for researchers to access and analyze. Key initiatives include the new AI-powered ARM Data Advisor (ADA) for conversational data discovery and the ATLAS framework, which enables secure, agent-based AI tools that automate workflows while maintaining scientific integrity and transparency.
June 22, 2026
7 MIN READ
Melissa Cregger discusses how ORNL’s Center for Bioenergy Innovation is developing fast-growing, resilient bioenergy crops such as poplar, switchgrass, pine, and eucalyptus to support sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. She highlights breakthroughs like the high-yield “Booster” gene and explains how AI, automation, and advanced phenotyping are accelerating the discovery and development of improved feedstocks for real-world growing conditions.
June 18, 2026
5 MIN READ
ORNL had a major presence at the 2026 AI+ Expo for National Competitiveness with multiple ORNL researchers presenting and demoing their latest work. Hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project, the event brought together leaders from technology, academia, industry and government to discuss the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in advancing U.S. innovation, energy resilience, competitiveness and national security.