Education
Brief Bio
Dr. Sani is a Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and
Chemistry, Biology, and Health Sciences at South Dakota Mines. His research brings
together microbiology, biochemical engineering, multi-omics, and bioprocess design
to turn the capabilities of microorganisms from extreme environments into practical
approaches for bioenergy, biomaterials, methane utilization, and environmental biotechnology.
Across 66 funded projects totaling approximately $74.7 million, including $9.7 million
as principal investigator, Dr. Sani has led research from microbial discovery through
process development. His scholarly record includes more than 166 peer-reviewed publications,
50 book chapters, 15 edited or co-edited books, and 27 edited journal special issues.
His work has also produced three patents or patent applications and 15 invention disclosures.
He leads the NSF-funded, $6 million BuG ReMeDEE consortium, which brings researchers
together to investigate methane regulation in deep and extreme environments.
Dr. Sani has mentored more than 145 undergraduate and graduate students and interns,
along with postdoctoral scholars and other researchers. His professional service includes
federal proposal review, leadership of the Society for Industrial Microbiology and
Biotechnology's Biocatalysis Program Committee, conference session chairing, and journal
editorial roles.
His teaching and research have been recognized with the 2021 Waksman Outstanding Teaching
Award and the 2018 South Dakota Mines Research Award.
Research Expertise
Dr. Sani’s group studies how microorganisms survive, interact, and perform in demanding
environments and how those capabilities can be translated into useful technologies.
The group’s work spans extremophilic bioprocessing; microbial biofilms and their interactions
with materials; methane-utilizing microbes; biocatalysis and protein engineering;
and microbial production of fuels, chemicals, exopolysaccharides, and polyhydroxyalkanoates.
The research team uses cultivation, genomics and other omics methods, bioinformatics,
and process engineering to connect microbial mechanisms with measurable performance.
A longstanding focus of Dr. Sani’s research is the discovery and characterization
of thermophiles from deep subsurface and geothermal environments, including the Sanford
Underground Research Facility. His group investigates their enzymes and metabolic
pathways for converting lignocellulosic biomass and other low-cost feedstocks into
biofuels and higher-value products. Related programs examine the molecular basis of
biofilm formation, microbial responses to metals and engineered surfaces, methane
conversion, and extremophile-derived materials for biomedical and environmental applications.
Teaching
Dr. Sani has taught 17 distinct undergraduate and graduate courses at South Dakota Mines and Washington State University and has developed eight new courses at South Dakota Mines. His teaching connects microbiology and molecular biology with engineering practice through courses in industrial microbiology, bioinformatics, molecular biotechnology, biochemical engineering, and microbial and enzymatic processing.
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Sani has delivered short courses and workshops in the United States, India, and Chile. He co-edited Extremophilic Enzymatic Processing of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks to Bioenergy and helped develop a biochemistry laboratory manual. His contributions to microbiology and biotechnology education were recognized with the 2021 Waksman Outstanding Teaching Award.