Alison Takemura

Undergraduate Student
Biochemistry major
Jones College
Current research project: Engineering of Escherichia coli to optimize ethanol and acetone production from the hemicellulose constituent, xylose
Graduation date: May 2008

Alison Takemura is a Jones College senior. She came to Rice from Monterey Park, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Alison is currently conducting research with Dr. George Bennett, Professor of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. In the lab, Alison works on the genetic engineering of E. coli to improve its ability to metabolize xylose, the second-most abundant sugar in nature, into its fermentation products ethanol and acetone. Because xylose is the main constituent of hemicellulose in plant cell walls, improving its utilization would make waste plant biomass a fuel source. “Alison is very enthusiastic and optimistic, always ready to learn a new technique or undertake a new challenge. She is very interested in the larger picture and the societal impact of various lines of research work. Her wide ranging interests and talents slowly are revealed and give a glimpse of a new facet of her personality to coworkers and friends,” adds Dr. Bennett.

Another mentor of Alison’s is Dr. Robert Curl, Rice’s Nobel Laureate. Dr. Curl states, “Alison has the kind of intuition and enthusiasm, coupled with intellectual ability, that make Rice undergraduates so much fun to know and work with.”

Alison is a leader outside of the classroom as well. She is a part of the Rice Environmental Club, the MOB, SA Environmental Committee, and the Catholic Student Association. When not on campus, Alison enjoys running, reading popular science and other books, and playing the flute. Alison has also studied abroad at the University of Oxford.

Why Rice? Alison answers enthusiastically, “I chose Rice because I knew that, due to its small size, I would get to know my professors and would feel more comfortable coming to them with questions. I also fell in love with the beauty of the campus. Oh, and the free concerts at the Shepherd School were a big draw, too!”