Brian Davison
Chief Scientist for Systems Biology and Biotechnology
Bio
Brian H. Davison is a Corporate Fellow and Chief Scientist for Biotechnology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He was the Chief Science Officer for the Center For Bioenergy Innovation (The Center for Bioenergy Innovation | CBI (ornl.gov) from 2017-2025. He was the Science Coordinator in the DOE Bioenergy Science Center from 2007 to 2017 responsible for integration. He is the PI for the ongoing DOE-BER project on “Solvent Disruption of Biomass and Biomembrane Structures in the Production of Biofuels and Bioproducts” (https://sfa-biofuels.ornl.gov/); this project expands the use of neutrons and modeling in understanding structure for biomass pretreatment and biomembrane stability. He is an Adjunct Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He was Director of Life Sciences Division at ORNL (2004-2005).
In his forty years at ORNL, he has performed collaborative biotechnology research including bioconversion of renewable resources (ethanol, organic acids, solvents), technoeconomic analyses of biomass to products, microbial membrane inhibition, fundamentals of biomass pretreatment, , non-aqueous biocatalysis, systems analysis of microbes (cultivation and proteomics), biofiltration of VOCs, mixed cultures, immobilization of microbes and enzymes, metal biosorption, and extractive fermentations. The theme connecting his work is the interface of solid, liquid, and gas phases between biocatalysts and their environments. This has resulted in over 190 publications and 17 patents. He is passionate about asking the right questions for the science and mentoring – a trait he learned from his father (an engineer) and his mother (a journalist). He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering, from the University of Rochester.
He is a Fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE), The Society of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). He received the 2006 C.D. Scott award from the Society of Industrial Microbiology. He led a multilab team which received an R&D100 Award in 1997 for “Production of Chemicals from Biologically Derived Succinic Acid,” a process ultimately licensed by BioAmber. He helped invent and develop an ethanol upgrading technology to produce renewable hydrocarbon fuels which was licensed by Vertimass, LLC (vertimass.com). He received the ORNL Technology Transfer award (2018) and Distinguished Inventor (2023) award for these and other efforts. He was the ORNL Science Communicator of 2010 for efforts in bioenergy and education, especially with the Creative Discovery Museum, he championed public bioenergy education reaching over 350,000 people (Bioenergy Resources Games & Issues | Biofuels).
He co-chaired the 15th to 26th Symposia on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals; he edited the Proceedings in Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., (1994 – 2005). He co-founded SBE's "Commercializing Industrial Biotechnology" meeting in 2015 (https://www.aiche.org/sbe/conferences/commercializing-industrial-biotec…). He was organizer or participant in over 15 USDOE workshops and roadmap reports, including co-organizing the significant "Breaking the Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol" Workshop in 2005 [DOE/SC-0095]. He served as Chief Scientist for the DOE-Biological and Environmental Research Genomic Sciences program (2009-2011).
He served on the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE) (2020–2022), on the AIChE Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) Board since 2012, and as a trustee of the AIChE Foundation since 2023. He co-founded the ORNL LGBTQ+ group now called PRISM at ORNL in 1995 and serves as spokesperson and co-char. https://www.ornl.gov/news/biosciences-chief-scientist-corporate-fellow-reflects-trailblazing-lgbtqia-presence-ornl. He is the co-chair of the ORNL Educational Research Committee since formed in 2021 as the latest aspect of his commitment to mentoring.
He is chair of the ORNL Institutional Biosafety Committee since 2002. He is active in the UT-ORII Bredesen Center with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He co-chairs the ORNL Educational Committee since its formation in 2021.
Professional Experience
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Corporate Fellow, 2020-present.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Chief Scientist for Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 2006–Present
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Director, Life Sciences Division, 2004–2005
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Senior Biochemical Engineer and Group Leader, 1995–2001,
Distinguished Researcher and BioChemical Engineering Research Group Leader, 2002–2003
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biochemical Engineer II, 1990–1995
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biochemical Engineer I, 1985–1990
University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Faculty – Bredesen Center, University of Tennessee/ORNL, 2010 – Present [unpaid], degree program in energy, two graduate students and many committees.
Adjunct Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1988–Present [unpaid]; supervision of three Ph.D. students and four Masters students; occasional instructor of BioChE graduate courses
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 1985.
Thesis topic: “Dynamics and Coexistence of Mixed Microbial Cultures.” Stable coexistence of competing microorganisms (E. coli and S. cerevisiae) in chemostats.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Gregory N. Stephanopoulos
B.S.E. Chemical Engineering, with honors, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1979.
Awards
Battelle Distinguished Inventor, 2023
UT-Battelle Individual Achievement in Technology Transfer, ORNL, 2018.
Fellow, Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), 2017.
Fellow, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), 2016.
USDOE Secretary of Energy’s Honor Achievement Award for “The WIPP Technical Assessment Team (TAT) and Accident Investigation Board (AIB),” 2015.
UT-Battelle Science Communicator of the Year, ORNL, 2010.
Charles D Scott Award for distinguished contributions to the field of biotechnology for fuels and chemicals, Society for Industrial Microbiology, Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, 2006.
College of Fellows, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), 2006.
Management Achievement Award, Life Sciences Division, ORNL, 2002.
Significant Event Award for “Expression of Lignin Peroxidase in Yeast,” ORNL, 2000.
Significant Event Award for “Dry Enzyme Catalysis,” ORNL, 2000.
Technology Maturation Award for Succinic Acid Process, ORNL, 1999.
Technical Achievement Award for “Innovative Research Leading to the Development of the Biparticle Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor,” Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., 1992.
Distinguished Writing Award for Scholarly Articles (First place) by the Society for Technical Communication - East Tennessee, 1991.
Significant Event Award for “High Productivity, Ethanol Fermentation,” Martin Marietta Energy Systems, 1987.
Outstanding Graduating Engineer, University of Rochester, 1979.
Wilson Scholar, University of Rochester, 1975–1979.
AIChE Outstanding Junior Chemical Engineer, University of Rochester, 1978.
National Merit Scholarship, 1975.
Education
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 1985. Thesis topic: “Dynamics and Coexistence of Mixed Microbial Cultures.” Stable coexistence of competing microorganisms (E. coli and S. cerevisiae) in chemostats. Thesis Advisor: Dr. Gregory N. Stephanopoulos
B.S.E. Chemical Engineering, with honors, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1979.
Professional Service
American Institute of Chemical Engineers: Board of Directors (2020-2022), Fellow, chair for sessions;
Trustee for AIChE foundation (2023-2026).
Society for Biological Engineering: Managing Board of Directors - AIChE (2012–on).
American Chemical Society (chaired symposia and sessions and served on several BIOT committees).
Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.
Chair, Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals and editor of the Proceedings in Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol, (1994–2005). Organizing Committee (2006–2012). The Symposium grew from 150 to 400 attendees during my twelve years as chair.
Founding co-chair. Commercializing Industrial Biotechnology Workshop (2012-2014); organizing committee 2015-present.
Editorial Boards: Biotechnol for Biofuels (2018-present); J Industrial Biotechnology (2011–2020).
Advisory boards: NSERC Bioconversion Network for Guelph and Univ. British Columbia (2009–2015).
BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre (BSBEC), United Kingdom (2010–2015).
C3 Bio EFRC, Purdue University (2012–2016).
Southeast Agriculture and Forestry Energy Resources Alliance (2007–2010).
Co-Organizer for the USDOE “Biomass to Biofuels” Workshop, December 2005. “Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol,” DOE/SC-0095.
Participant in “Microbial Production of Energy” Colloquium, March 10–12, 2006, San Francisco, California. Report by American Academy of Microbiology.
Professional Affiliations
AIChE, ACS, SIMB, AIMBE
Trademarks and Patents
Narula, C. K., B. H. Davison, and M. Keller, “Zeolitic catalytic conversion of alcohols to hydrocarbons,” United States Patent 11,773,333 B2. Continuation of #9,938,467. awarded October 3, 2023.
Li, Z., B.H. Davison, J. Zhang, “Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Alcohols To Olefins Of Higher Carbon Number With Reduced Ethylene Production,” U.S. Patent 11,691,129_B2; awarded July 4 2023.
Narula, C. K., B.H. Davison, Z. Li, “Zeolitic catalytic conversion of alcohols to hydrocarbon fractions with reduced gaseous hydrocarbon content,” United States Patent 10,696,606 awarded June 30, 2020
Narula, C. K., B. H. Davison, “Catalytic conversion of alcohols having at least three carbon atoms to hydrocarbon blendstock,” United States Patent 9,944,861 awarded April 17, 2018
Narula, C. K., B. H. Davison, and M. Keller, “Zeolitic catalytic conversion of alcohols to hydrocarbons,”
United States Patent 9,938,467. awarded April 10, 2018
Narula, C. K., B. H. Davison, and M. Keller, “Zeolitic Catalytic Conversion of Alcohols to Hydrocarbons,” U.S. Patent 9,533,921-B2, issued date January 3, 2017.
C. K. Narula, B. H. Davison, and M. Keller, “Catalytic conversion of Alcohols to hydrocarbons with Low benzene content,” (part 2). PCT/US 201202942.0, U. S. Patent 9,434,658 (September 6, 2016).
C. K. Narula, B. H. Davison, and M. Keller, “Catalytic conversion of Alcohols to hydrocarbons with Low benzene content,” PCT/US 20140322781, (10/30/2014 published) U. S. Patent 9,278,892 (March 8, 2016).
C. K. Narula, B. H. Davison, “Catalytic conversion of alcohols having at least three carbon atoms to hydrocarbon blendstock,” 20150011813 (1/8/2015, published); USPTO#9,181,493 (issued 11/10/2015).
Passian, A., L. Tetard, T.G. Thundat, B.H. Davison, M. Keller, “Scanning Probe Microscopy with Spectroscopic Molecular Recognition,” U.S. Patent Application 2011/0231966-A1, date: Sept. 22, 2011.
Scott, C.D., Scott, T.C., and Davison, B.H., "Apparatus and Method for the Production of Gel Beads Containing a Biocatalyst", U.S. Patent No. 5,712,212, January 27, 1998. Combined with U.S. Patent No. 5,72588A, March 8, 1998.
Scott, T.C., Scott, C.D., Faison, B.D., Davison, B.H., and Woodward, J., “Enhanced Attrition Bioreactor for Enzyme Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Materials,” (CIP) U.S. Pat. 5,637,502, June 10, 1997.
Scott, C.D., Petersen, J.N., and Davison, B.H., “Continuous Fluidized-Bed Contactor with Recycle of Sorbent,” U.S. Patent 5,534,153, July 9, 1996.
Scott, T.C., Scott, C.D., Faison, B.D., Davison, B.H., and Woodward, J., “Enhanced Attrition Bioreactor for Enzyme Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Materials,” U. S. Patent 5,508,183, April 16, 1996.
Scott, C.D., Faison, B.D., Davison, B.H., and Woodward, J., “Process for Converting Cellulosic Materials into Fuels and Chemicals,” U. S. Patent 5,345,871, September 20, 1994.
Scott C.D., and Davison, B.H., “Attrition Bioreactor System,” U. S. Patent 5,248,484, September 28, 1993.
Publications
Other Publications
see CV