URBANA, Ill. — Today, MicroMGx celebrates the opening of its new research facility at the University of Illinois Research Park, part of the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub, which is a testament to rapid advancements and increasing investment to realize agricultural innovations through precision fermentation.
With a $51 million grant from the Economic Development Administration, iFAB is positioning Central Illinois as the epicenter of biomanufacturing through precision fermentation — and also the heart of the growing agricultural biologicals market, which is projected to reach $31.8 billion by 2029.
“At iFAB, we are building a robust ecosystem that supports the development of sustainable agricultural inputs. Central Illinois is home to industry leaders, innovative startups, world-class R&D, scalable infrastructure, abundant feedstock production, and robust transportation networks—all of which contribute to our mission,” said Beth Conerty, who leads the iFAB consortium and business development for the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory, part of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.
“By transforming corn and soybeans into bio-based agricultural chemicals, we are helping to create a circular bioeconomy that benefits producers, consumers, and the planet,” Conerty added.
MicroMGx — Naturally produced herbicides
The Champaign-based startup MicroMGx is harnessing the bacteria responsible for onion center rot to develop a novel broad-spectrum herbicide with a new-to-the-industry mechanism of action, critical for beating herbicide resistance in weeds. For the past 18 months, MicroMGx has been scaling its technology in partnership with IBRL, which is a key member of the iFAB consortium outfitted with pilot-scale fermenters from 20 to 1,500 liters.
“Through our collaboration with IBRL, we’re able to scale our microbial discoveries into viable agricultural products that could revolutionize weed management,” said MicroMGx cofounder William Metcalf, also a professor of molecular and cellular biology at the U. of I. “The opening of our new facility at Research Park’s LabWorks is a significant step in bringing these innovations to market.”
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