Pam Weathers, on leave from Worcester Polytechnic Institute at the Arkansas Bioscience Institute at Arkansas State University, was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. – Egypt Joint Board on Science & Technology Cooperation. Dr. Mahmoud Sharaf-Eldin of the National Research Center Dept. of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Cairo, is PI and the work is on: Saffron Crocus sativus: Production of secondary metabolites in cultured roots. The project aims to study production of the key saffron spice metabolites in C. sativus cultured roots. A few years ago, Dr. Sharaf-Eldin was a visiting Fulbright Fellow in Dr. Weathers’ lab at WPI and this grant stems from that earlier collaboration.
Pamela J. Weathers, Ph.D., Professor of Metabolic Engineering
Director Molecular Biosciences Doctoral Program
Judd Hill Chair of Agricultural Biotechnology
Arkansas Bioscience Institute, Arkansas State University
[email protected]
Effective 1 August 2008, Mary Ann Lila will become the inaugural director of the new North Carolina State University’s Fruit & Vegetable Sciences Institute, located in the North Carolina Research Campus, in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Dr. Lila will direct a team of scientists with the overall discovery mission of eludicating the components (phytochemicals) of fruit and vegetables that protect and enhance human health, and the potentiating interactions between phytochemicals that interact with human therapeutic targets. The Institute will integrate research in metabolomics, biochemistry, pharmacogenomics, breeding, and postharvest to develop produce with enhanced health benefits, and concentration on introduction of new or underappreciated crops and products from around the world, and validation of their novel properties, allowing consumers to make proactive, responsible dietary choices that benefit their own, and their family’s, health.
Michael Horn has relocated yet again. He has assumed the position of Corn Transformation Lead for Targeted Growth Inc. and is located in Atlanta, Indiana. His full contact information is:
Michael E. Horn Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Corn Transformation Lead, Targeted Growth Inc., 6767 East 276th St., Atlanta, IN 46031, Ph. 317-984-1094, Fax 317-984-1095 E-mail: [email protected]
Mike is the US correspondent for the IAPB (aka IAPTC). All inquiries regarding the U.S. chapter of the IAPB should be directed to Michael at the above address.
Also joining him in this new lab is Asha Palta, formerly at Dow AgroSciences, same contact info except for e-mail [email protected] , Dustin Owens ([email protected] ), and Christopher Horn ([email protected] )
Here is his new home address:
Michael E. Horn Ph.D.
19035 Edwards Grove Drive
Noblesville, IN 46062
609-495-4618 (C)
[email protected]
Valerie Pence, of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, attended the 2nd World Scientific Congress: Challenges in Botanical Research and Climate Change, held in Delft, The Netherlands, June 29 – July 4. The conference was organized by Botanic Gardens Conservation International and brought together attendees from more than 50 countries to discuss how botanical gardens will meet the challenges of climate change for rare and endangered plant species. Valerie gave an oral presentation entitled, “Supplementing Seed Banks: In Vitro Methods for Preserving and Propagating Species at Risk,” outlining the role tissue culture methods can have in preserving plants threatened by the habitat changes predicted for the future. Plant tissue culture can provide tools for ex situ conservation that can supplement traditional seed banking and expand the possibilities for assisted migration and tissue banking. The working framework for the conference was the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation [http://www.bgci.org/policy/gspc/], which sets global targets for a plant inventory, in situ and ex situ conservation, and plant conservation education for the year 2010.
Mike Hanson and Gordon Reese of Caisson Laboratories LLC have published a new website which is more comprehensive then previous ones with expanded inventory and valuable resources.
Carol Stiff, President of Kitchen Culture Education Technologies, Inc. is happy to report that KCET received its tax exempt status this month and now is an official 501(c )(3) non-profit company. KCET’s mission is to promote plant science education and hopes to acquire some grant monies for this purpose. Also note that if you need a tax deductible donation on your tax return, consider donating to KCET and help us fulfill our mission as well as give you a tax break.
