The programme's approach is based on specifications detailing the quality and functions expected of the final product, as well as the optimisation or development of the process that will most effectively combine these criteria of quality and processing capability. 

The programme is structured into three axes that integrate a cross-disciplinary modelling approach

•    1/ the lignocellulosic biomass and questions related to its structure, its variability and its properties, including tools to characterise it   

•    2/ deconstruction of the biomass, its fractionation, its functionalisation,  integrating questions on biological tools (enzymes, microorganisms), the development of processes and their combination   

•    3/ obtaining molecules and functional assemblies, from their identification (which functionalities are looked for) to the prediction of functionalities obtained from biomass/process coupling   

•    a cross-disciplinary "modelling" approach that integrates these three axes to ultimately suggest approaches for rationally obtaining products (molecules or functional assemblies)  

 

The objectives for each of these axes are determined in the short-, medium- and long term.  

Objectives: Biomass axis

• Short-term: identifying and prioritising structural criteria in relation to processes and the quality produced; two observation scales: cell wall assembly (establishment, interactions, reactivity) + tissue/organ (taking account of the structural heterogeneity) 

• Medium-term: having access to a model that makes it possible to determine fractionation in relation to the biomass (associating a value and a decision with each criterion) 

• Long-term: identifying biomass property markers (multi-criteria quality approach) in interaction with INRA's upstream research divisions (Plant Breeding and Genetics, Plant Biology, Forests, Environment and Agronomy, etc.) See the other divisions' websites

 
Objectives: Process axis

• Short- or medium-term:
 

	Priorité 1	Priorité 2	Priorité 3	Priorité 4
Biological tool	Understanding and optimising enzymatic and microbial synergies in relation to cell deconstruction (sequential actions and co-localisation), taking the evolution of the substrate into account		Screening the biodiversity of microorganisms to identify new (planned deconstruction) or more effective (final deconstruction) biological catalysers. This involves a technological challenge: high throughput phenotyping (which tests beyond the glucose and reducing sugars produced?)
Combined process		Understanding and optimising effector synergies in combined processes (mechanical, physical, chemical and biological effectors) – structure-property modification leading to different modifications at different scales.  This priority involves the understanding of enzyme behaviour mechanisms in non-conventional environments		4)Understanding the functioning of enzymes in non-conventional environments (heterogeneous catalysis and highly concentrated environments) Modelling complex systems and processes

•  Long-term:

Objectives: Product axis

•  Short-term: identifying building block molecules and targeted functionalities  

•  Medium-term: understanding shallowly-studied molecular assembly functionalities and the relationship between the deconstruction scale/assembly and functionality

•  Long-term: having access to tools to predict functionalities on the basis of a biomass-process coupling   

Choice of representative targeted objects at different deconstruction levels

Cross-disciplinary methological development