Benning has been working for over 30 years on different aspects of lipid metabolism in photosynthetic organisms. His laboratory at MSU discovered and studies proteins involved in the biosynthesis of polar lipids of the photosynthetic membrane, the exchange of membrane lipid precursors between the endoplasmic reticulum, the chloroplast envelope membranes and the respective contact sites, and proteins involved in lipid remodeling as adaption to abiotic stresses. Benning’s lab discovered a transcription factor governing the biosynthesis of storage lipids in plant embryos and used it for biotechnological applications. His lab has also applied genomic and genetic approaches to identify key regulatory factors and enzymes required for triacylglycerol biosynthesis, lipid droplet formation and lipid turnover in the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. He coordinated the sequencing and publication of the first Nannochloropsis oceanica genome and he and his collaborators developed synthetic biology tools for this microalga and explored its biotechnological potential.
