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.
STRAIGHT FROM THE SCIENTISTS: Research Profiles Offer Insight into CABBI Work
Read Co-PI Nancy Reichert’s profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Co-PI Li-Qing Chen’s profile by Emily Scott >>>
Read Co-PI Tom Clemente’s profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Postdoc Nick LaBonte’s profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Postdoc Shuai Li’s profile by Jenna Kurtzweil >>>
Read Research Specialist Joe Zimmerman’s profile by Jordan Goebig >>>
Read Co-PI Steve Moose’s research profile by Emily Scott >>>
Andrew Leakey: Theme Leader
Leakey, a Professor of Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is an expert in plant water use efficiency, photosynthesis, respiration and water relations; plant responses in natural and agricultural ecosystems to global environmental change; and adaptation of food and fuel crops to global environmental change, especially drought. His research helps enhance understanding of how the environment impacts ecosystem goods and services and advances efforts to improve and protect crop production and water cycling. His lab performs vertically integrated phenotyping of plant carbon and water relations by combining genetic, molecular, biochemical, physiological and ecological tools to assess plant performance in manipulative field experiments and controlled environment conditions. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield.
Matthew Hudson: Deputy Theme Leader
Hudson, a Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, uses supercomputing and DNA sequencing to solve problems in plant, animal, and human genetics. He employs computational biology, bioinformatics, genome sequencing, and molecular biology to study crop breeding as well as ways to treat and prevent diseases. He is interested in the genetics of crop traits and the genetic and molecular interactions of crops with pathogens, pests, and other organisms. He got his Ph.D. in Biology in 1998 from the University of Leicester.
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.
The Research Team
Lisa Ainsworth
Research Molecular Biologist, U.S. Dept. of Ag. Agricultural Research Service Global Change and Photosynthesis Research, Urbana, IL
The Research Team
Fredy Altpeter
Professor of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Florida
The Research Team
Brian Baldwin
Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University
Edgar Cahoon
Professor of Biochemistry and Director of Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Li-Qing Chen
Assistant Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Thomas Clemente
Eugene W. Price Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Anna Hale
Research Geneticist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Houma, LA
Chang-Jun Liu
Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Stephen P. Long
Gutgsell Endowed Professor of Crop Sciences and Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Amy Marshall-Colón
Assistant Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Stephen Moose
Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jesse Morrison
Research Associate of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University
Donald Ort
Robert Emerson Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Nancy Reichert
Professor of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University
Daniel Rokhsar
Professor of Genetics, Genomics and Development, University of California at Berkeley
Erik Sacks
Associate Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jörg Schwender
Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory
John Shanklin
Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Anthony Studer
Assistant Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Changcheng Xu
Researcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory
The Operating Team
An alphabetical listing of all researchers, postdocs, technicians, and graduate students doing CABBI research in the Feedstock Production Theme.
A-F
- Anjali Arpan
- Mohammad Belaffif
- Rebecca Billingsley
- Bryant Brown
- Fengjiao Bu
- Yingqi Cai
- Sofia Cano Alfanar
- Ghana Challa
- Kher Xing (Cindy) Chan
- Young Cho
- Teresa Clark
- Ben Daniels
- Smit Dhakal
- Prabin Dhungana
- Lynn Doran
- Nidhi Dwivedi
- Ayman Eid
ANJALI ARPAN
Plant Biology M.S. Candidate
PI: Reichert
Mississippi State University
REBECCA BILLINGSLEY
Research Associate
PI: Reichert
Mississippi State University
BRYANT BROWN
Greenhouse Manager
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
FENGJIAO BU
Postdoc
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
YINGQI CAI
Postdoc
PI: Shanklin
Brookhaven National Laboratory
SOFIA CANO ALFANAR
Lab Technician
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
GHANA CHALLA
Postdoc
PIs: Hudson/Marshall-Colón
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
KHER XING (CINDY) CHAN
Visiting Scholar
PI: Long
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
YOUNG CHO
Postdoc
PI: Ort
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
TERESA CLARK
Postdoc
PI: Schwender
Brookhaven National Laboratory
BEN DANIELS
Academic Hourly Researcher
PI: Sacks
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
SMIT DHAKAL
Postdoc
PI: Studer
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PRABIN DHUNGANA
Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Reichert
Mississippi State University
LYNN DORAN
Research Specialist
PIs: Moose/Studer
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NIDHI DWIVEDI
Postdoc
PI: Liu
Brookhaven National Laboratory
AYMAN EID
Postdoc
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
G-L
- Zhengxiang Ge
- Andrew Greenhaw
- Sachin Heerah
- Madara Hetti Arachchilage
- Nikhil Jaikumar
- Brandon James
- Stephen Jinga
- Praveena Kanchupati
- Nam Kyu Kang
- Baskaran Kannan
- Sang Yeol Kim
- Nicholas LaBonte
- Shuai Li
- Yongguan Li
- Hui Liu
- Guangbin Luo
Research TechnologistANDREW GREENHAW
Research Technician
PI: Baldwin
Mississippi State University
SACHIN HEERAH
Plant Biology Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Marshall-Colón
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MADARA HETTI ARACHCHILAGE
Postdoc
PI: Marshall-Colón
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NIKHIL JAIKUMAR
Postdoc
PI: Long
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PostdocSTEPHEN JINGA
Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate
PI: Moose
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PRAVEENA KANCHUPATI
Research Specialist
PI: Moose
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NAM KYU KANG
Integration Postdoc
PIs: Ort (Feedstock Production)/Jin (Conversion)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Biological ScientistSANG YEOL KIM
Plant Biology Research Scientist
PI: Ort
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NICHOLAS LaBONTE
Postdoc
PI: Sacks
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
SHUAI LI
Postdoc
PI: Ainsworth
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
YONGGUAN LI
Visiting Scientist
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
HUI LIU
Technical Research Associate
PI: Shanklin
Brookhaven National Laboratory
GUANGBIN LUO
Postdoc
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
M-R
- Justin McGrath
- Therese Mitros
- Himaya Mula-Michel
- Hans Müller Paul
- Tara Nazarenus
- Natalya Nersesian
- Tufan Oz
- Ki Youl Park
- Truyen Quach
JUSTIN McGRATH
Postdoc
PI: Long
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Applications ProgrammerHIMAYA MULA-MICHEL
Postdoc
PI: Hale
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
HANS MÜLLER PAUL
Informatics Ph.D. Candidate
PI: Hudson
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
TARA NAZARENUS
Plant Lipid Biology Research Technician
PI: Cahoon
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Research Technologist
Postdoc
PostdocTRUYEN QUACH
Plant Science Research Professor
PI: Clemente
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
S-Z
- Sara Sanchez
- Shirley Sato
- Subarna Sharma
- Rajaram Ramkumar Thakku
- Ryan Tillman
- Tony Trieu
- Sebastian Varela
- Yu Wang
- Liang Xiao
- Xueyi Xue
- Ya Chi Yu
- Zhiyang Zhai
- Bosen Zhang
- Tieling Zhang
- Zhihai Zhang
- Chao Zhou
- Joe Zimmerman
- Evelyn Zuniga
SARA SANCHEZ
Lab Technician
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
Research Manager
Plant Biology Ph.D. CandidateRAJARAM RAMKUMAR THAKKU
Lab Technician
PI: Altpeter
University of Florida
RYAN TILLMAN
Field Technician
PI: Swaminathan
HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology
Research TechnicianSEBASTIAN VARELA
Postdoc
PI: Leakey
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PostdocLIANG XIAO
Postdoc
PI: Sacks
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
XUEYI XUE
Postdoc
PI: Chen
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
YA CHI YU
Plant Biology Visiting Research Specialist
PI: Chen
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
ZHIYANG ZHAI
Assistant Scientist
PI: Shanklin
Brookhaven National Laboratory
BOSEN ZHANG
Postdoc
PI: Moose
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Research TechnologistZHIHAI ZHANG
Postdoc
PI: Hudson
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CHAO ZHOU
Postdoc
PI: Xu
Brookhaven National Laboratory
JOE ZIMMERMAN
Lab Technician
PI: Sacks
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PostdocFORMER TEAM MEMBERS
Jessica Bubert, Crop Sciences Ph.D. Candidate (Moose), University of Illinois at Urbana-C.
Setu Chakrabarty, Postdoc (Leakey), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lu Gan, Postdoc (Cahoon), University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Jacob Heldenbrand, Research Programmer (Hudson), University of Illinois at Urbana-C.
Hae Jin Kim, Postdoc (Cahoon), University of Nebraska
Dan Lanier, Crop Sciences Academic Hourly Researcher (Hudson), University of Ill. at Urbana-C.
Sarah Lipps, Academic Hourly Researcher (Sacks), University of Ill. at Urbana-Champaign
Robert Twohey, Crop Sciences M.S. Candidate (Studer), University of Ill. at Urbana-Champaign
Duoduo Wang, Postdoc (Altpeter), University of Florida
Alex Winter, Lab Technician (Altpeter), University of Florida