Research Initiatives
The Institute launched five new research initiatives in 2004 to address major challenges in Iowa agriculture and to enhance the value of Iowa crops. The research initiatives call on our core competencies in genomics, bioinformatics, plant metabolism and molecular breeding to tackle problems of significance to Iowa's agriculture and industry.
The research initiatives are a new way of doing business at the Institute. They are intended to focus the efforts of the Institute on term projects and coordinate the activities of the research centers. The initiatives will produce deliverables – real products or services – and will blaze new research trails at Iowa State. The initiatives are cross cutting – engaging the breadth of the Institute's talent and resources. The initiatives are also intended to "push the envelope" of research at Iowa State, encouraging faculty, staff and students to reach for higher goals by working in interdisciplinary teams.
The research initiatives are making efficient and focused use of the Institute's resources to solve significant problems challenging Iowa agriculture and its bioscience industries. To reach its goals, each initiative has one or more research projects. Several projects utilize facilities supported by the Institute, including the Iowa State University Plant Transformation Facility, W.M. Keck Metabolomics Research Laboratory, the Pioneer Hi-Bred International Plant Genomics Laboratory, the Proteomics Facility in the Roy J. Carver Co-Laboratory, and the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition Human Metabolic Unit.
The five initiatives and the leaders and co-leaders are:
Genomics -- This initiative makes use of the enormous
advances in maize genomics to discover the molecular basis for the
most important component of yield in corn, hybrid vigor
(heterosis). Information from global gene expression and metabolic
profiling analyses will be used to create more vigorous hybrids --
overcoming present day limits on corn production in Iowa.
Genomics Research Initiative (PDF)
Leader:
Patrick Schnable (); co-leader: Robert Jernigan
().
Biopharmaceuticals -- Plant-made pharmaceutical production
represents an unparalleled opportunity for producing high-value
products in Iowa crops. Research projects in this initiative
address some of the major technological challenges in
biopharmaceutical production -- particularly the development of
methods for the safe and efficient production/processing of
plant-made pharmaceuticals. The biopharmaceutical initiative
partners with the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified
Plants (BIGMAP) to address safety and regulatory issues that limit
the development of this industry in Iowa.
Biopharmaceuticals Research Initiative (PDF)
Leader: Kan Wang
(); co-leader: Manjit Misra
().
Nutrition -- This is an initiative to enhance the
nutritional value of plant products in food and feed. The feed
component of this initiative will use gene chip technology to
search the soybean genome for genes that contribute to high protein
and oil production in soybean, without sacrificing yield. The
initiative will also attempt to develop more nutritious human foods
from Iowa crops and will focus on the development of
slowsugar-release starch to combat obesity and type II diabetes.
Nutrition Research Initiative (PDF)
Leader: Diane Birt (); co-leader: Martha James
().
Biorenewables -- This initiative is a joint effort with Iowa
State's Bioeconomy Initiative to tailor feedstocks to create better
raw materials and more biomass for bioenergy and biobased product
production. The initiative aims to develop soybean oils that are
"ready-made" biodiesel fuels (do not require refining) and better
adapted for lubricant uses. This initiative will also attempt to
develop lignocellulosic materials (plant residues) that convert
more easily to fermentable feedstocks.
Biorenewables Research Initiative (PDF)
Leader: Lawrence Johnson
(); co-leader: Basil Nikolau
(); co-leader: Kendall
Lamkey ().
Crop Protection -- This initiative will provide fundamental
knowledge for developing novel aphid control techniques. Asian
soybean aphids continue to be major pests in Iowa soybeans since
their arrival in 2000, with large populations reported this year.
A team of scientists is using multiple approaches to understand the
interactions between aphids, soybeans and viruses. This research
involves scanning the soybean genome for genes that respond to
aphid feeding, in order to identify defense genes for crop
improvement. Aphid viruses will also be used as tools to identify
essential aphid genes to target for controlling aphid populations.
Basic understanding of the response of plants to aphid feeding, and
development of viral tools for management of aphid populations will
facilitate sustainable management of aphids pests without the use
of environmentally damaging chemical pesticides.
Crop Protection Research Initiative (PDF)
Leader: W. Allen Miller (); co-leader: Bryony Bonning
(); co-leader: Gustavo Macintosh ().
