Feedstock Production: Growing the Right Crops

The scientists in this theme will employ the “plants-as-factories” paradigm, in which biofuels, bioproducts, high-value molecules, and foundation molecules for conversion are synthesized directly in plant stems. This plants-as-factories approach circumvents the challenges of developing efficient lignocellulose deconstruction methods, while still retaining residual biomass for deconstruction by traditional or emerging methods.The main thrust of projects will be on high-yielding grasses throughout the rain-fed eastern U.S., including on marginal soils. CABBI will focus on Sorghum, Sugarcane, Energycane, and Miscanthus. Sorghum and Sugarcane are the world’s highest biomass producers with demonstrated potential for accumulation of oil in vegetative biomass after successful metabolic engineering.

Emily Heaton: Theme Leader

Heaton, a Professor of Regenerative Agriculture in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is an expert in biomass crop production and physiology. Her research aims to understand the growth and productivity of dedicated biomass crops in the Midwest, and how they can be managed to provide multiple ecosystem services. She focuses on developing energy crop portfolios and management strategies that are targeted to the growth environment and ultimate end use of the crop. Heaton, who started in CABBI as a scientist in the Sustainability Theme at Iowa State University, was named in September 2020 as the Feedstock Production Theme Leader before moving to Illinois in January 2021. Her CABBI research will incorporate both themes. She graduated with a B.S. (2001) and a Ph.D. (2006) in Crop Sciences from Illinois. 

Her departmental page >>>

Her Illinois Regenerative Agriculture Initiative page >>>

Her Sustainability theme research profile from her time at Iowa State >>>

A May 2021 Q&A with the new Feedstock Production Theme Leader >>>

Erik Sacks: Deputy Theme Leader

Sacks, a Professor of Crop Sciences at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, studies the genetics of grasses to facilitate the breeding of improved cultivars that address critical societal needs, such as the sustainable production of food, fiber, and energy. By identifying genes that confer tolerance and resistance to environmental and other stresses, farmers can do more with less by reducing the risks and costs of production. Sacks received a B.S. in Plant Breeding from Cornell University in 1990, and an M.S. in Horticulture (1992) and Ph.D. in Genetics (1996) from the University of California at Davis.

His Crop Sciences page >>>

An April 2022 Q&A with Sacks >>>

Kankshita Swaminathan: Deputy Theme Leader

Swaminathan, a Faculty Investigator at HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology in Huntsville, Ala., is an expert in in perennial grasses, phenotyping and applications of genomics for plant customization and modification. Her research focus is on genomic solutions to sustainable agriculture — with a particular interest in using genetics to understand the role of the rhizome (modified underground stems) in nutrient storage and reproduction, resource reallocation and perenniality in plants. Swaminathan received her Ph.D. in Biology in 2005 from Dartmouth College.

Her HudsonAlpha page >>>

The Lead Scientists

Fredy Altpeter

Professor of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Florida

His Agronomy page >>>

The Research Team

Brian Baldwin

Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University

His Plant and Soil Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

The Research Team

Edgar Cahoon

Professor of Biochemistry and Director of Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

His Biochemistry page >>>

His lab page >>>

Ernst Cebert

Research Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Science, Alabama A&M University

The AAMU page >>>

The Winifred Thomas Agricultural Research Station page >>>

Article on AAMU joining CABBI >>>

Li-Qing Chen

Assistant Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Her School of Integrative Biology page >>>

Her research profile >>>

Thomas Clemente

Eugene W. Price Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

His Agronomy page >>>

His lab page >>>

His research profile >>>

Anna Hale

Research Geneticist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Houma, LA

Her USDA ARS page >>>

The Sugarcane Research Unit page >>>

Matthew Hudson

Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His Crop Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

Diego Jarquin

Assistant Professor of Agronomy, University of Florida

His Agronomy page >>>

Andrew Leakey

Professor and Department Head of Plant Biology; Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His School of Integrative Biology page >>>

His Crop Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

Director Q&A >>>

Stephen P. Long

Gutgsell Endowed Professor of Crop Sciences and Plant Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His Crop Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

Amy Marshall-Colón

Associate Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Her School of Integrative Biology page >>>

Her lab page >>>

Stephen Moose

Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His Crop Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

His research profile >>>

Donald Ort

Robert Emerson Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His School of Integrative Biology page >>>

His lab page >>>

Nancy Reichert

Professor of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University

Her Biological Sciences page >>>

Her research profile >>>

Daniel Rokhsar

Professor of Genetics, Genomics and Development, University of California at Berkeley

His Molecular & Cell Biology page >>>

His lab page >>>

Jörg Schwender

Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory

His BNL page >>>

The BNL Plant Sciences page >>>

John Shanklin

Biology Department Chair, Brookhaven National Laboratory

His BNL page >>>

The BNL Plant Sciences page >>>

Anthony Studer

Associate Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

His Crop Sciences page >>>

Daniel Voytas

McKnight Presidential Endowed Professor of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development; Director, Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota

His Biological Sciences page >>>

His lab page >>>

Article on Minnesota joining CABBI >>>

The Research Team

An alphabetical listing of all researchers, postdocs, technicians, and graduate students doing CABBI research in the Feedstock Production Theme.

A-F

QASIM ALI

Visiting Scholar

PI: Altpeter

University of Florida

CAN BAYSAL

Postdoc

PI: Voytas

University of Minnesota

BRENT BERNS

Field Research Specialist

PI: Sacks

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

GABRIEL BEUCHAT

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Chen

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

NIKITA BHATNAGAR

Postdoc

PI: Ort

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ELEANOR BRANT

Agronomy Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Altpeter

University of Florida

Her research profile >>>

KHER XING (CINDY) CHAN

Visiting Scholar

PI: Long

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

YOUNG CHO

Postdoc

PI: Ort

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

SOHYEON “SARAH” CHUNG

Research Specialist

PI: Ort

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

TERESA CLARK 

Postdoc

PI: Schwender

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Her research profile >>>

RYAN DISNEY

Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Hudson

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

LIZ DOMINGUEZ MENDEZ

Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate

PI: Studer

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

JIA DONG

Postdoc

PI: Hudson

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

JILIAN FAN

Technical Research Associate

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

JIE FU

Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Marshall-Colón

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

G-L

ZHENGXIANG GE

Research Technologist

PI: Clemente

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

SANBON GOSA

Postdoc

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

PRADEEP HIRANNAIAH

Postdoc

PI: Swaminathan

HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology

JOHN HODGE

Postdoc

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

DYLAN HOLLOWELL

Research Associate

PI: Baldwin

Mississippi State University

ISIDRE HOOGHVORST

Postdoc

PI: Altpeter

University of Florida

BRANDON JAMES

Project Manager

PI: Swaminathan

HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology

More >>>

TRACY JOHNSON

Feedstock Production Theme Field & Greenhouse Technician

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

BASKARAN KANNAN

Biological Scientist

PI: Altpeter

University of Florida

More >>>

XIANYAN (JUSTIN) KUANG

Research Assistant Professor of Plant and Soil Science

PI: Ceber

Alabama A&M University

SHUAI LI

Postdoc

PI: Long

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

More >>>

His research profile >>>

YUANXUE LIANG

Postdoc

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

HUI LIU

Technical Research Associate

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

DANIEL TEJEDA LUNN

Research Scientist

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

M-R

SHILPA MANJUNATHA

Technician

PI: Swaminathan

HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology

SCOTT McCOY

Field Technician

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

MAE MERCADO

Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Studer

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

THERESE MITROS

Applications Programmer

PI: Rokhsar

University of California at Berkeley

More >>>

JESSE MORRISON

Assistant Research Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences

PI: Baldwin

Mississippi State University

More >>>

HIMAYA MULA-MICHEL

Research Agronomist

PI: Hale

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service

More >>>

Her research profile >>>

TARA NAZARENUS

Plant Lipid Biology Research Technician

PI: Cahoon

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

NATALYA NERSESIAN

Research Technologist

PI: Clemente

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

BRAM OSTERHOUT

Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Marshall-Colón

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

KIYOUL PARK

Postdoc

PI: Cahoon

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

His research profile >>>

More >>>

HUNTER PEGRAM

Research Scientist

PI: Baldwin

Mississippi State University

MONI QIANDE

Agronomy Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Altpeter

University of Florida

TRUYEN QUACH

Plant Science Research Professor

PI: Clemente

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

MARUTI NANDAN RAI

Postdoc

PI: Moose

University of  Illinois Urbana-Champaign

EDWARD ROSS

Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Moose

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

JEREMY RUHTER

Technician

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

S-Z

SAROJ SAH

Postdoc

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

JASPAL SINGH

Agronomy Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Jarquin

University of Florida

CORALIE SALESSE-SMITH

Postdoc

PI: Long

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

SHIRLEY SATO

Research Manager

PI: Clemente

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

MADISON SEABER

Technician

PI: Reichert

Mississippi State University

BALA SONAWANE
 
Postdoc
 
PI: Leakey
 
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

TONY TRIEU

Research Technician

PI: Swaminathan

HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology

More >>>

SEBASTIAN VARELA

Postdoc

PI: Leakey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

YU WANG

Postdoc

PI: Long

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

More >>>

CHANGCHENG XU

Plant Science Researcher

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

More >>>

XUEYI XUE

Postdoc

PI: Chen

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

More >>>

His research profile >>>

 

XIAOHONG YU

Research Scientist

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

FRIDAY ZAKARI

Plant and Soil Science M.S. Candidate

PI: Cebert

Alabama A&M University

DESSIREE ZERPA CATANHO

Postdoc

PI: Sacks

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ZHIYANG ZHAI

Assistant Scientist

PI: Shanklin

Brookhaven National Laboratory

TIELING ZHANG

Research Technologist

PI: Clemente

University of Nebraska at Lincoln

More >>>

ZHIHAI ZHANG

Postdoc

PI: Hudson

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

XUYING ZHENG

Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate

PI: Sacks

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

FORMER TEAM MEMBERS

Co-PI Lisa Ainsworth, USDA ARS Global Change and Photosynthesis Research, Urbana, IL

Josh Allen, Research Programmer (Hudson), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Anjali Arpan, Plant Biology M.S. Candidate (Reichert), Mississippi State University

Mohammad Belaffif, Postdoc (Swaminathan), HudsonAlpha Inst. of Biotech. Research profile >>>

Rebecca Billingsley, Research Associate (Reichert), Mississippi State University

Bryant Brown, Greenhouse Manager (Altpeter), University of Florida

Fengjiao Bu, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Jessica Bubert, Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (Moose), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Yingqi Cai, Postdoc (Shanklin), Brookhaven National Laboratory Research profile >>>

Sofia Cano, Lab Technician (Altpeter), University of Florida

Dang (Viet) Cao, Visiting Scholar (Altpeter), University of Florida

Setu Chakrabarty, Postdoc (Leakey), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Ghana Challa, Postdoc (Hudson/Marshall-Colón), U. of Ill. Urbana-C. Other research >>>

Ben Daniels, Academic Hourly Researcher (Sacks), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Hannah Demler, Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate (Ainsworth), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Smit Dhakal, Postdoc (Studer), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Prabin Dhungana, Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate (Reichert), Mississippi State University

Lynn Doran, Research Specialist (Moose), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Nidhi Dwivedi, Postdoc (Liu), Brookhaven National Laboratory

Wyatt Eason, Crop Science M.S. Candidate (Baldwin), Mississippi State University

Ayman Eid, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida Research profile >>>

Grace Fuller, Technician (Reichert), Mississippi State University

Lu Gan, Postdoc (Cahoon), University of Nebraska

Amandine Germon, Postdoc (Leakey/Yang), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Andrew Greenhaw, Research Technician (Baldwin), Mississippi State University

Sachin Heerah, Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate (Marshall-Colón), University of Ill. Urbana-C.

Jacob Heldenbrand, Research Programmer (Hudson), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Madara Hetti Arachchilage, Postdoc (Marshall-Colón), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Dave Istanto, Bioinformatics M.S. Candidate (Hudson), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Nikhil Jaikumar, Postdoc (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Stephen Jinga, Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate (Moose), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Praveena Kanchupati, Research Specialist (Moose), University of Ill. Urbana-Champaign

Nam Kyu Kang, Integration Postdoc (Ort/Jin), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Hae Jin Kim, Postdoc (Cahoon), University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Hyojin Kim, Postdoc (Cahoon), University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Sang Yeol Kim, Plant Biology Research Scientist (Ort), U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Amit Kumar, Technician (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Nicholas LaBonte, Postdoc (Sacks), University of Illinois Urbana-C. Research profile >>>

Dan Lanier, Crop Sciences Academic Hourly Researcher (Hudson), University of Ill. Urbana-C.

Alistair Leverett, Postdoc (Leakey), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Yaxin Li, Postdoc (Chen), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Yongguan Li, Visiting Scientist (Altpeter), University of Florida

Sarah Lipps, Academic Hourly Researcher (Sacks), University of Ill. Urbana-Champaign

Co-PI Chang-Jun Liu, Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Guangbin Luo, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Jessica Lyons, Project Scientist (Rokhsar), University of California at Berkeley

Duncan Martin, Plant Biology M.S. Candidate (Ainsworth), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

David May, Agronomy Ph.D. Candidate (Altpeter), University of Florida

Justin McGrath, Postdoc (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Hans Müller Paul, Informatics Ph.D. Candidate (Hudson), U. of Illinois U.-C. Research profile >>>

Tufan Oz, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Katalin Paldi, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Elena Pelech, Postdoc (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Brian Rhodes, Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (Moose), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Lucas Roberts, Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate (Studer), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Prasenjit Saha, Research Scientist (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Sara Sanchez, Lab Technician (Altpeter), University of Florida

Mia Sands, Lab Technician (Ort), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Subarna Sharma, Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate (Reichert), Mississippi State University

Dilkaran Singh, Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate (Marshall-Colón), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Ramkumar Thakku, Lab Technician (Altpeter), University of Florida

Susan Thomas, Program Manager (Leakey), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Robert Twohey, Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate (Studer), University of Ill. Urbana-Champaign

Ryan Tillman, Field Technician (Swaminathan), HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology

Evan Updike, M.S. Candidate (Cahoon), University of Nebraska

Duoduo Wang, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Jiang Wang, Postdoc (Chen), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Wei Wei, Postdoc (Long), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Alex Winter, Lab Technician (Altpeter), University of Florida

Liang Xiao, Postdoc (Sacks), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Erin Yafuso, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida

Linhui Yu, Postdoc (Xu), Brookhaven National Laboratory

Ya Chi Yu, Plant Biology Visiting Research Specialist (Chen), University of Illinois Urbana-C.

Bosen Zhang, Postdoc (Moose), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Chao Zhou, Postdoc (Xu), Brookhaven National Laboratory

Joe Zimmerman, Lab Technician (Sacks), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Evelyn Zuniga, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida