Accelerating the conversion of CO2 into aromatic compounds in plants

Aromatic compounds are essential building blocks for producing a variety of products in our food, pharmaceuticals, fuels, and other materials. However, the vast majority of these industrial aromatic products are produced from fossil fuels, contributing to CO2 emissions and environmental pollution. The Maeda lab is studying the evolution of plant metabolism and aiming to engineer plant-based "living refineries" to sustainably produce aromatic chemicals.