According to a release, researchers at Iowa State University have found a way to use mold to convert corn fiber into ethanol. And that could boost ethanol production by about 4 percent or 160 million gallons a year, said Hans van Leeuwen, an Iowa State professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering. “I believe this is a breakthrough,” said van Leeuwen, the leader of the research project. “But I also want to caution that we need to do a lot more research.”