Research

            The Center’s multidisciplinary faculty focus their research on molecular and cellular processes in plants and microbes.  Six faculty (Drs. Belanger, Lam, Lawton, Leustek, Raskin, and Tumer) utilize plants as model systems while four faculty  (Drs. Häggblom, Kukor, Young, and Zylstra) work with microbes as model systems.  In addition, research on animal molecular biology goes forward in laboratories provided to three associate faculty members from the Animal Sciences Department (Drs. Cohick, Jesse, and Sarkar).  The inclusion of diverse faculty under the Biotech Center umbrella promotes interdisciplinary cooperation, sharing of research resources, and cross pollination through the free flow of ideas from different perspectives.

            Research topics and major discoveries include:                               

·        Gene regulation during plant development

            A process for targeted gene insertion (Dr. Lam)

·        Molecular genetics of host-parasite interactions

            A bacterial gene conferring broad disease resistance in plants (Dr. Lam)

            Novel plant receptors controlling cell signaling (Dr. Lawton)

            Airborne signaling of disease attack by methyl salicylate (Dr. Raskin)

            Proteins conferring viral resistance in plants and humans (Dr. Tumer)

·        Production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals by plants

            Secretion of recombinant proteins from plant roots (Dr. Raskin)

·        Food biotechnology

            Enhancement of flavor precursors in potato (Drs. Tumer and Leustek)

·        Sulfur metabolism

            Regulation of methionine synthesis (Dr. Leustek)     

·        Turfgrass biotechnology

            Transformed turfgrass with herbicide & disease resistance (Dr. Belanger)

            Transformed fungal endophytes of turfgrass (Dr. Belanger)

·        Phytoremediation

            Plants and methods for removal of toxic metals from soils (Dr. Raskin)

·        Environmental Microbiology  

            Mechanisms for anaerobic dehalogenation (Dr. Häggblom)

            Identification of novel microbial pathways for the anaerobic degradation of organic compounds  (Dr. Young)

            Identification of novel genes for aliphatic and aromatic compound degradation (Dr. Zylstra)

            Technology for decontamination of dredge spoils (Dr. Häggblom et al.)

            Development of remediation technologies (Dr. Kukor)

            Microbial bioprospecting (Dr. Kukor et al.)

            Production of flavors and specialty chemicals by microbes (Dr. Zylstra)

For suggestions on improving this web site, please send mail to:  biotech@njaes.rutgers.edu Last update:10/05/01