David Nielsen
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Phone: 480-965-4113
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BDC C499C Tempe, AZ 85287-6106
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Mail code: 6106Campus: Tempe
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David Nielsen a professor and program chair for chemical engineering in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy at Arizona State University.
Nielsen's research interests include developing microbial platforms and biotechnologies to convert renewable resources into useful fuels and chemicals. His group works at the interface of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, while also incorporating key elements of industrial and applied microbiology, ‘re-programming’ microorganisms to carry out various functions of interest.
- Postdoc, MIT, 2006-2009
- Ph.D., Queen’s University at Kingston 2006
- B.Sc., University of Colorado-Boulder 2001
Metabolic Engineering
Synthetic Biology
Biofuels, Biochemicals, Bioplastics
Small Molecule Transporter Proteins
Microbial Communities
Recent Publications
Machas, M., Kurgan, G., Abed, O., Shapiro, A., Wang, X., Nielsen, D.R.* (2021), Escherichia coli’s Transcriptional Response to Different Styrene Exposure Modes Reveals Novel Toxicity and Tolerance Insights, J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 105:1147–1158.
Jones, C.M., Korosh, T.C., Nielsen, D.R., Pfleger, B.F.* (2021), Optimization of a T7-RNA Polymerase System in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 Mirrors the Protein Overproduction Phenotype from E. coli BL21(DE3), Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., Accepted.
Bu, G., Simmons, C., Nielsen, D.R., Nannenga, B.* (2020), Tetragonal crystal form of the cyanobacterial bicarbonate transporter regulator SbtB from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Acta Crystallogr. F, 76(9).
Bu, G., Parrish, S., Gleason, P., Nielsen, D.R., Nannenga, B.* (2020), Heterologous expression and purification of the bicarbonate transporter BicA from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Protein Expr. Purif., 175:105716.
Flores, A.D., Choi, H.G., Martinez, R.M., Onyeabor, M., Ayla, E.Z., Godar, A., Machas, M.S., Nielsen, D.R.*, Wang, X.* (2020), Catabolic Division of Labor Enhances Production of D-Lactate and Succinate from Glucose-Xylose Mixtures in Engineered Escherichia coli Coculture Systems, Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 8:329
Sarnaik, A.P., Liu, A., Nielsen, D.R., & Varman, A.M.* (2020), High-Throughput Screening for Efficient Microbial Biotechnology, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 64:131-150.
Flores, A.D., Wang, X., Nielsen, D.R.*, (2019) Recent Trends in Integrated Bioprocesses: Aiding and Expanding Microbial Biofuel/Biochemical Production, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 57:82-87.
Machas, M., Kurgan, G., Jha, A., Flores, A., Schneider, A., Coyle, S., Varman, A., Wang, X., Nielsen, D.R.*, (2019) Emerging Tools, Enabling Technologies, and Future Opportunities for the Bioproduction of Aromatic Chemicals, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol., 94:38-52.
Flores, A.D., Ayla, E.Z., Nielsen, D.R., & Wang, X.*, (2019) Engineering a Synthetic, Catabolically-Orthogonal Co-Culture System for Enhanced Conversion of Lignocellulose-Derived Sugars to Ethanol, ACS Synth. Biol., 8(5):1089-1099.
Kurgan, G., Panyon, L., Rodriguez-Sanchez, Y., Pacheco, E., Nieves, L., Mann, R., Nielsen, D.R., Wang, X.*, (2019) Bioprospecting of native efflux pumps to enhance furfural tolerance in ethanologenic Escherichia coli, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 85(6). pii: e02985-18.
Schulz, T.C., Thompson, S.T., Oelschlager, M., Nielsen, D.R., Vermaas, W., Lamb, H.H.*, (2018) Catalytic Conversion of Cyanobacteria-Derived Fatty Acids to Alkanes for Biorenewable Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene, Sus. Energy Fuels, 2:882-893.
Thompson, B., Pugh, S., Machas, M., Nielsen, D.R.*, (2018) Muconic Acid Production via Alternative Pathways and a Synthetic ‘Metabolic Funnel’, ACS Synth.Biol., 7(2):565-575.
Machas, M., Thompson, B., McKenna, R., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2017) Expanding Upon Styrene Biosynthesis to Engineer a Novel Route to 2-Phenylethanol, Biotechnol. J., 12:1700310.
Staggs, K.W., Qiang, Z., Madathil, K., Gregson, C.T., Xia, Y., Vogt, B.D., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2017) High Efficiency and Facile Butanol Recovery with Magnetically Responsive Micro/Mesoporous Carbon Adsorbents, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 5(1):885-894.
Godeshala, S., Nitiyanandan, R., Thompson, B., Goklany, S., Nielsen, D.R., and Rege, K.*, (2016) Folate Receptor-targeted Aminoglycoside-derived Polymers for Transgene Expression in Cancer Cells, Bioeng. Transl. Med., 1(2):220–231.
Tan, Z., Yoon, J.M., Nielsen, D.R., Shanks, J.V., and Jarboe, L.R.*, (2016) Membrane Engineering via Trans Unsaturated Fatty Acids Production Improves Escherichia coli Robustness and Production of Biorenewables, Metab. Eng., 35:105-113.
Thompson, B., Machas, M., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2016) Engineering and Comparison of Non-Natural Pathways for Microbial Phenol Production, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 113(8):1745-1754.
Lian, J., McKenna, R., Nielsen, D.R., Brown, R., Wen, Z., and Jarboe, L.*, (2016) Production of Biorenewable Styrene: Utilization of Biomass-Derived Sugars and Insights into Toxicity, J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 43(5):595-604.
Pugh, S., McKenna, R., Halloum, I., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2015) Engineering Escherichia coli for renewable benzyl alcohol production, Metab. Eng. Comm., 2:39-45.
McKenna, R., Moya, L., McDaniel, M., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2015) Comparing In Situ Removal Strategies for Improving Styrene Bioproduction, Bioproc. Biosys. Eng., 38(1):165-174.
Staggs, K. and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2015) Improving n-Butanol Production in Batch and Semi-Continuous Processes through Integrated Product Recovery, Proc. Biochem., 50(10):1487-1498.
Halloum, I., Thompson, B., Pugh, S., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2015) Activity of Lactobacillus brevis alcohol dehydrogenase on primary and secondary alcohol biofuel precursors, Fermentation, 1(1):24-37.
Thompson, B., Machas, M., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2015) Creating Pathways Toward Aromatic Building Blocks and Molecules, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 36:1-7.
Thompson, B., Moon, T.S., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2014) ‘Hybrid’ Processing Strategies for Expanding and Improving the Synthesis of Renewable Bioproducts, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 30: 17-23.
Pugh, S., McKenna, R., Osman, M., Thompson, B., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2014) Rational Engineering of a Novel Pathway for Producing the Aromatic Compounds p-Hydroxybenzoate, Protocatechuate, and Catechol in Escherichia coli, Proc. Biochem., 49:1843-1850.
McKenna, R., Thompson, B., Pugh, S., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2014) Rational and Combinatorial Approaches to Engineering Styrene Production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Microb. Cell Fact., 13:123.
Claypool, J., Raman, D.R.*, Jarboe, L.J., Nielsen, D.R., (2014) Technoeconomic Evaluation of Bio-Based Styrene Production by Engineered Escherichia coli, J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 41(8):1211-1216.
Wiehn, M., Staggs, K., Wang, Y., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2014) In Situ Butanol Recovery from Clostridium acetobutylicumFermentations by Expanded Bed Adsorption, Biotechnol. Progr., 30(1):68-78.
Wiehn, M., Levario, T.J., Staggs, K., Linneen, N., Wang, Y., Pfeffer, R., Lin, Y.S., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2013) Adsorption of Short-Chain Alcohols by Hydrophobic Silica Aerogels, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 52(51):18379-18385.
McKenna, R., Pugh, S., Thompson, B., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2013) Microbial Production of the Aromatic Building-Blocks (S)-Styrene Oxide and (R)-1,2-Phenylethanediol from Renewable Resources, Biotechnol. J., 8(12):1465-1475.
Wang, B., Pugh, S., Nielsen, D.R., Zhang, W., and Meldrum, D.*, (2013) Engineering Cyanobacteria for Continuous Production of 3-Hydroxybutyrate Directly from CO2, Metab. Eng., 16:68-77.
Yuan, W., Wiehn, M., Wang, Y., Kim, H.W., Rittmann, B.E., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2013) Solid-Phase Extraction of Long-Chain Fatty Acids from Aqueous Solution, Sep. Purif. Technol., 106:1-7.
Adkins, J., Jordan, J., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2013) Engineering Escherichia coli for Renewable Production of the 5-Carbon Polyamide Building-Blocks 5-Aminovalerate and Glutarate, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 110(6):1726-1734.
Nielsen, D.R.*, and Moon, T.S., (2013) From Promise to Practice. The Role of Synthetic Biology in Green Chemistry, EMBO Reports, 14(12):1034-1038.
Adkins, J., Pugh, S., McKenna, R., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2012) Engineering Microbial Chemical Factories to Produce Renewable ‘Biomonomers’, Front. Microbio. 3:313.
Levario, T.J., Dai, M., Yuan, W., Vogt, B.D., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2012) Rapid Adsorption of Alcohol Biofuels by High Surface Area Mesoporous Carbons, Micropor. Mesopor. Mat., 148(1):107-114.
McKenna, R. and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2011) Styrene Biosynthesis from Glucose by Engineered E. coli, Metab. Eng., 13(5): 544-554.
Pugh, S., McKenna, R., Moolick, R., and Nielsen, D.R.*, (2011) Advances and Opportunities at the Interface Between Microbial Bioenergy and Nanotechnology, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 89: 1-12.
Yeom, S.H., Daugulis, A.J.*, and Nielsen, D.R., (2010) A Strategic Approach for the Design and Operation of Two-phase Partitioning Bioscrubbers for the Treatment of Volatile Organic Compounds, Biotechnol. Progr., 26(6):1777-1786.
Yeom, S.H., Daugulis, A.J.*, and Nielsen, D.R., (2010) Estimating the cellular maintenance coefficient and its use in the design of two-phase partitioning bioscrubbers, Bioproc. Biosyst. Eng., 33(6):731-739.
Current and Past Funded Research Projects
Title: IRES: Track I: Exploring Biobased Plastics and Materials through Collaborative Research in Japan
Investigators: Nielsen, D.*, Acharya, A., Varman, A.M., Green, M., Wang, X.
Source: NSF, OISE-1952507
Dates: Aug. 2020 – Aug. 2023
Title: Strain Investigation and Development
Investigators: Nielsen, D.*
Source: Sustainable Conversion Ventures (Industry)
Dates: Mar. 2019 – Feb. 2022
Title: Multi-pronged approach to improving carbon utilization by cyanobacterial cultures
Investigators: Vermaas, W.*, Nielsen, D., Wang, X., McGowen, J., Weiss, T.
Source: DOE, EERE
Dates: Oct. 2018 – Sept. 2021
Title: A machine-learning algorithm to identify transporters of aromatic bioproducts for the food industry
Investigators: Wang, X*, Nielsen, D.
Source: Ajinomoto Inc. (Industry)
Dates: Aug. 2018 – July. 2019
Title: SusChEM: Biological Auto-Enhancement of CO2 Absorption for Improved Cyanobacterial Growth and Biofuel Production
Investigators: Nielsen, D.*, Vermaas, W.
Source: NSF, CBET-1705409
Dates: July 2017 – June 2021
Title: Direct Photosynthetic Production of Biodiesel by Growth-Decoupled Cyanobacteria
Investigators: Nielsen, D., Wang, X., Vermaas, W.*
Source: DOE, EERE
Dates: Sept. 2016 – Aug. 2018
Title: Enhancing Microbial Flavonoid Production with Synthetic Biology
Investigators: Nielsen, D.*
Source: Ajinomoto Inc. (Industry)
Dates: April 2016 – April 2018
Title: SusChEM: Enhancing Tolerance and Performance of a Renewable Aromatic Biorefinery
Investigators: Nielsen, D.*, Wang, X.
Source: NSF, CBET-1511637
Dates: June 2015 – May 2019
Title: Managing the Microbial Ecology of a Cyanobacteria-Based Photosynthetic Factory Direct!
Investigators: Rittmann, B.*, Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Lind, M., Nielsen, D.R., Torres, C., Vermaas, W.F.J.
Source: Dept. of Energy, Golden Office
Dates: Dec. 2012 – Nov. 2014
Title: Collaborative Research: High Surface Area Mesoporous Carbons for Facile Biofuel Recovery from Dilute Aqueous Solution
Investigators: Nielsen, D.R.*
Source: NSF, CBET-1159200
Dates: Aug. 2012 – July 2016
Title: Cyanobacteria designed for solar-powered highly efficient production of biofuels
Investigators: Vermaas, W.F.J.*, Rittmann, B., Nielsen, D.R., Roberson, R.
Source: Dept. of Energy, ARPA-E
Dates: Mar. 2012 – June 2013
Title: Continuous Ethanol Fermentation and Recovery using an Improved Zeolite Membrane Bioreactor
Investigators: Nielsen, D.R.*, Lin, J.Y.S.
Source: NSF, CBET- 1067684
Dates: Apr. 2011 – Mar. 2015
Title: Cyanobacteria designed for solar-powered highly efficient production of biofuels
Investigators: Vermaas, W.F.J.*, Curtiss, R., Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Rittmann, B., Nielsen, D.R., Roberson, R.
Source: Dept. of Energy, ARPA-E
Dates: Oct. 2009 – Apr. 2012
Courses
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 579 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 479 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 579 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 479 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 591 | Seminar |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 792 | Research |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 579 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 479 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 579 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 479 | Microbial Bioprocess Eng |
| BDE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASU 101-CHE | The ASU Experience |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BME 592 | Research |
| BME 599 | Thesis |
| BME 792 | Research |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
2020 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2020 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BME 792 | Research |
| BME 592 | Research |
| BME 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 592 | Research |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
| BDE 799 | Dissertation |
| BDE 792 | Research |
| CHE 494 | Special Topics |
| CHE 598 | Special Topics |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
2019 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BME 592 | Research |
| BME 599 | Thesis |
| BME 792 | Research |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CHE 599 | Thesis |
| CHE 792 | Research |
| CHE 795 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 799 | Dissertation |
| MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| CHE 593 | Applied Project |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Lab II |
| CHE 595 | Continuing Registration |
| CHE 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| CHE 484 | Internship |
Fulton Exemplar Faculty, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, 2018
Outstanding Professor, Chemical Engineering Program, Arizona State University, 2010-2011
Biotechnology Notes
Editorial Board, 2019-Pres.
Frontiers in Microbiology
Associate Editor, 2013-2019
Review and Guest Associate Editor, 2010-2013
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), 2002–Pres.
Society of Biochemical Engineering (SBE), 2011–Pres.
International Metabolic Engineering Society (IMES), 2013–Pres.
Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC), 2019–Pres.
Society of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), 2013–Pres.
American Heart Association (AHA), 2015–2016.