Milestones in Science: Celebrating 50 Years of Discovery at Rice
Harnessing Microbial Power
Rice researchers George Bennett (pictured) and Ka-Yiu San reimagined the metabolic machinery of microbes to produce succinate, a key building-block chemical with wide-ranging industrial applications. By redesigning E. coli’s internal pathways, they overcame natural limitations and achieved the maximum theoretical yield, turning a fundamental scientific insight into a process with real-world potential. Their work showcases how precision engineering and systems-level thinking can transform biology into a tool for sustainable industry.
Learn how it happenedSYNTHETIC BIOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The success of Rice researchers in channeling microbial pathways toward succinate production offered a powerful model for how synthetic biology can drive sustainability. Today, our faculty, students and alumni continue to apply biology to explore the frontiers of metabolic innovation. Read on for some of their remarkable stories.
SHAPING MINDS FOR TOMORROW
Historic milestones and today’s innovative research remind us that discovery thrives alongside education, and we proudly celebrate those who have transformed how future scientists learn and lead.
Dave Caprette and Beth Beason-Abmayr: A Legacy of Lab Innovation
David Caprette and Beth Beason-Abmayr have redefined hands-on learning in Rice’s Biosciences Department. From modular lab courses in the 1990s to full-semester, course-based undergraduate research experiences, they have given students authentic opportunities to think, experiment and discover like professional scientists. Their innovations, now recognized nationally, continue to shape how undergraduates engage with research and explore the frontiers of biosciences.
Discover how it came togetherAcknowledgement
This work was made possible with support from the Fondren Fellows program.