**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** (R)-3-HYDROXYBUTYRATE (R-3HB) IS A VERSATILE CHEMICAL COMPOUND USED TO MAKE BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS, VITAMINS, ANTIBIOTICS, AND MORE. ITS PRODUCTION IS IN HIGH DEMAND DUE TO ITS UNIQUE PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, CREATING R-3HB WITH THE REQUIRED CHIRAL PURITY IS A COMPLEX CHALLENGE. IN THIS PROJECT, WE AIM TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING CHIRALLY PURE R-3HB FROM PLANT WASTE MATERIALS, LIKE WOOD AND CROP LEFTOVERS, BY MODIFYING CLOSTRIDIUM PATHWAYS. WE'LL CREATE AND TEST TWO DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TO PRODUCE R-3HB IN THE CLOSTRIDIUM HOST. THEN, WE'LL COMBINE THESE APPROACHES AND MAKE FURTHER GENETIC CHANGES TO BOOST R-3HB PRODUCTION IN THE BACTERIUM. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS RESEARCH COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR AN EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE PROCESS TO CREATE R-3HB FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTE, SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF A BIO-BASED ECONOMY. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE A SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMY AND STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURE. IT WILL SERVE AS A VALUABLE REFERENCE FOR SCIENTISTS WORKING ON IMPROVING MICROBIAL PROCESSES FOR VALUABLE PRODUCTS. ULTIMATELY, THIS TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ECONOMY, AND SOCIETY, PROMOTING AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.