Kristen L. Reichel
Papers
1
Total Citations
80
H-Index
1
About
Kristen L. Reichel is a leading researcher in bioenergy and sustainable biomass conversion, with a primary focus on overcoming lignocellulose recalcitrance—the natural resistance of plant cell walls to breakdown into fermentable sugars. Her most impactful contribution is the development of a high-throughput 96-well multiplate reactor system for integrated hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification, detailed in her highly cited 2010 paper (80 citations). This innovative platform enables rapid, comparative screening of biomass recalcitrance, dramatically accelerating the identification of optimal pretreatment conditions for biofuel production. By miniaturizing and parallelizing the process, Reichel’s work has provided a powerful tool for researchers to systematically evaluate feedstock variability and pretreatment efficiency, directly advancing the economic viability of cellulosic ethanol. Her engineering of stackable nickel/gold-plated reactor plates and a custom clamping device exemplifies her practical, solution-oriented approach. Reichel’s contributions are foundational for the development of more efficient, cost-effective biorefining technologies, making her a key figure in the transition to a bio-based economy.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1