Victor Ujor

About

Victor Ujor is an Assistant Professor in Food Science whose research focuses on fermentation science, renewable fuels and biochemicals, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, bioprocess design, and the bioconversion of food wastes and agricultural residues into value-added products. His laboratory employs synthetic biology techniques to engineer robust microbial strains capable of enhanced bio-chemical production, aiming to overcome metabolic and feedstock-related bottlenecks that limit the biosynthesis of target chemicals. These chemicals have wide-ranging applications including biofuels and industrially important polymers used in paints, varnishes, synthetic tires, and other materials. Additionally, Professor Ujor's research addresses environmental challenges by repurposing water-rich, recalcitrant effluents such as anaerobic digestate and tannery or fish processing wastes. His lab seeks to identify and engineer microbial strains with enhanced nutrient sequestration capabilities to improve waste management and water recovery, while simultaneously producing valuable chemicals. Through these efforts, the Ujor Laboratory contributes to advancing sustainable bioprocesses and circular economy principles by transforming low-cost and waste substrates into economically and environmentally beneficial products.

Research topics

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Computer Security
• Engineering
• Biochemical engineering
• Food science
• Medicine
• Microbiology

Selected publications

• Microbial detoxification of lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates: Biochemical and molecular aspects, challenges, exploits and future perspectives

  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 2022 · 77 citations

  1st authorCorresponding

  -coumaric acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, and ferulic acid) are discussed. More importantly, metabolic engineering strategies for the development of LDMIC-tolerant and bio-chemicals overproducing strains and processes are highlighted.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Production of 2,3-Butanediol from non-detoxified wheat straw hydrolysate: Impact of microbial inhibitors on Paenibacillus polymyxa DSM 365

  Industrial Crops and Products · 2020 · 41 citations

  DOI

• Viable strategies for enhancing acetone-butanol-ethanol production from non-detoxified switchgrass hydrolysates

  Bioresource Technology · 2021-10-21 · 24 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Glycerol Utilization as a Sole Carbon Source Disrupts the Membrane Architecture and Solventogenesis in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052

  Fermentation · 2022-07-19 · 21 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Efficient bioconversion of abundant waste glycerol to value-added chemicals calls for a wider range of fermentative workhorses that can catabolize glycerol. In this study, we used quantitative gene expression and solvent profiling, qualitative metabolite analysis, and enzyme activity assays to investigate the factors that limit glycerol utilization as a sole carbon source by Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 did not produce acetate, acetone and butanol on glycerol.…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effects of Clostridium beijerinckii and Medium Modifications on Acetone–Butanol–Ethanol Production From Switchgrass

  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 2022-08-03 · 13 citations

  articleOpen access

  The presence of lignocellulose-derived microbial inhibitory compounds (LDMICs) in lignocellulosic biomass (LB) hydrolysates is a barrier to efficient conversion of LB hydrolysates to fuels and chemicals by fermenting microorganisms. Results from this study provide convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of metabolically engineered C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 for the fermentation of LB-derived hydrolysates to acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE). The engineered microbial strain ( C. beijerinckii…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Thaddeus Chukwuemeka Ezeji

  The Ohio State University

  35 shared

• Christopher Chukwudi Okonkwo

  Northeastern University

  18 shared

• Emmanuel Adukwu

  University of the West of England

  10 shared

• Master Chisale

  Mzuzu University

  8 shared

• Pizga Kumwenda

  Mzuzu University

  8 shared

• Tsung-Shu Joseph Wu

  Ministry of Health

  8 shared

• Santosh Kumar

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  8 shared

• Ebot S. Tabe

  Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

  8 shared

Labs

• Ujor LaboratoryPI

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Animal Science

  The Ohio State

  2015

• Ph.D., Applied & Molecular Bioscience

  University of Westminster

  2010

• Master's Degree, Applied & Molecular Biosciences

  University of Westminster London, London GB

  2006

• Bachelor of Science, Applied Microbiology & Brewing

  Enugu State University of Science and Technology

  2002

Similar researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison

• John A. Luceyh-64
• Richard Hartelh-64
• Bradley W. Bollingh-43