QUINCY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Myriant Corporation announced today the addition of Dr. John F. Hartwig to its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Hartwig, a globally renowned professor, lecturer and researcher in the field of organic chemistry, currently serves as The Henry Rapoport Chair in Organic Chemistry for the University of California at Berkeley and, as a Senior Faculty Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California.

Dr. Hartwigs research is primarily focused on the areas of areas of organic and inorganic chemistry, and organometallics. His research centers on the discovery and understanding of new reactions of organic compounds catalyzed by transition metal complexes. These findings result from a combination of organic synthesis, organometallic synthesis and mechanistic analysis of catalytic systems.

Its an honor to welcome Dr. Hartwig to Myriants Scientific Advisory Board, said Stephen J. Gatto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Myriant. As a recognized thought leader in the research and discovery of novel compounds and bio-catalysts, Dr. Hartwigs insights and guidance will be most valuable as Myriant continues to advance its pipeline of bio-based chemicals. His primary knowledge of metal chemistry and its practical application in catalytic synthetic methods will greatly complement the exceptional skills and talents of the current members of our Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Hartwig possesses nearly two decades of successful professorship in the area of chemistry. Previously, he served as the Kenneth L. Reinhart Jr. Professor of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Additionally, Dr. Hartwig spent more than a decade as a Professor of Chemistry at Yale University, ultimately serving as the Irne P. duPont Professor of Chemistry.

Dr. Hartwig graduated with high honors from Princeton University with a B.A. in Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Hartwig also served as an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Hartwig is the recipient of more than 25 notable industry and academic awards for his work including most recently being elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2012, receiving the GlaxoSmithKline Scholars Award, the National Institutes of Health MERIT Award and Mitsui Chemicals Catalysis Science Award. He currently serves as a Council Delegate for Chemistry Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for CHEMCATCHEM. He also provides extensive article reviewing for journals such as Science, Nature, Nature-Chemistry, Wiley Journals, Chemical Communications, and the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Hartwig is the author of the textbook titled Organotransition Metal Chemistry: From Bonding to Catalysis published December 2009.

Myriant's Scientific Advisory Board is comprised of world-class researchers and subject matter experts who serve in an advisory capacity to the Company regarding its research and product development efforts. The Board is chaired by Dr. Joseph P. Glas, Myriants Chief Technology Officer and former Vice President and General Manager for DuPont Biotechnology. Members of Myriants Scientific Advisory Board, in addition to Dr. Hartwig, include Dr. Stephen J. Benkovic, Evan Pugh Professor and Eberly Chair in Chemistry at Penn State University and Member of the National Academy of Sciences and its Institute of Medicine; Dr. Lonnie Ingram, Distinguished Professor, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, and Director, Florida Center for Renewable Chemicals and Fuels, and Member of the National Academy of Sciences; Dr. Gregory Stephanopoulos, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, MIT, and Member of the National Academy of Engineering; Dr. Jan Westpheling, Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia; and, Dr. Huimin Zhao, Professor, Centennial Endowed Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

About Myriant Corporation

Myriant utilizes proprietary technology to provide innovative, performance-based renewable chemicals utilizing low-cost sugars. In December 2010, Myriant broke ground on its 30 million pound commercial succinic acid facility in Lake Providence, Louisiana. The companys D(-) lactic acid started production at commercial scale in June 2008 for use in polylactic acid. Myriant has agreements with Uhde GmbH for engineering, Davy Process Technology for the integration of Myriants succinic acid process with the Davy butanediol process for the production of bio-based butanediol, and PTT Chemical for the commercialization of Myriants technology in South East Asia. Myriant is headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Details are available at http://www.myriant.com.

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Myriant Expands Scientific Advisory Board with the Addition of Notable Chemistry Expert, Professor John F. Hartwig, Ph ...