The Iowa Biotechnology Association recognized Brent Shanks, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Jean Steffenson Faculty Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University, as the recipient of the 2026 Biotech Leader Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within their organization and the industry, successfully brought innovative biotech products and services to market and advocated for Iowa’s life science sectors. He received the award at the Iowa Biotech Showcase & Conference on March 4. Shanks established and serves as director of the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, formerly a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. He also serves as the platform lead for the Iowa Biosciences Initiative in Biobased Products. Shanks is co-founder of Pyrone Systems, Inc., which is commercializing bioinsecticide technology initially developed in the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals. He joined the faculty at ISU in 1999, where his group’s research has primarily involved reaction systems for efficiently converting plant-based feedstocks to chemicals.
