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News

 

As climate changes, plants might not suck carbon from the air fast enough As climate changes, plants might not suck carbon from the air fast enough

Atmospheric scientists factor lesser known photosynthesis research into their models. The result: carbon levels in the air could be much higher by 2100 than previously predicted.

September 13, 2018 Tags: Sharkey lab, fundamental research
Kyaw (Joe) Aung joins Iowa State University as an Assistant Professor Kyaw (Joe) Aung joins Iowa State University as an Assistant Professor

The freshly minted PRL alumnus, a former member of the Hu and He labs, will explore how pathogenic microbes manipulate plant communication systems to their advantage.

September 5, 2018 Tags: Hu lab, He lab, future scientists
[VIDEO] New biofuel production system powered by a community of algae and fungi [VIDEO] New biofuel production system powered by a community of algae and fungi

The system lowers cultivation and harvesting costs and increases productivity, factors that currently hold back biofuels from being widely adopted.

September 4, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, green solutions
Scientists find new methods to control bacterial factories for biotech aims Scientists find new methods to control bacterial factories for biotech aims

The Kerfeld lab announces two new methods for manipulating bacterial factories for biotech aims: one is to screen and extract the factories, the other is to predictably insert custom enzymes in them.

July 24, 2018 Tags: Kerfeld lab, green solutions
Keeping up with lipids on the move: a new molecular tracking method Keeping up with lipids on the move: a new molecular tracking method

Scientists have created a new tracking method for plant lipids. The approach could fill our knowledge gaps of lipid movement and help us improve yields in crops targeted for biofuels.

June 29, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, fundamental research
Grad student, Alyssa Preiser, receives Barnett Rosenberg Assistantship Grad student, Alyssa Preiser, receives Barnett Rosenberg Assistantship

The award is for advances students with a distinguished record of accomplishment and provides a stipend of $30,000 plus health insurance and tuition waver for one year.

June 28, 2018 Tags: Sharkey lab, awards
Microbiologists and plant scientists find secret to tackling cholera [LINK] Microbiologists and plant scientists find secret to tackling cholera [LINK]

While cholera rages across many regions of the world, a team of microbiologists and plant scientists from the Benning lab has pinpointed a genetic weakness in the pandemic’s armor, which could lead to future treatments.

June 26, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, fundamental research
Gutter Ball XXIV: Lee Alexander wins bowling tournament Gutter Ball XXIV: Lee Alexander wins bowling tournament

Alexander, who works in the GLBRC Cell Wall Analysis Facility, won the coveted "Gutter Ball Champion" title.

June 21, 2018 Tags: outreach
Two plant cell 'hotspots' tell the cell where to import its resources Two plant cell 'hotspots' tell the cell where to import its resources

The two proteins, called VAP, indicate where endocytosis, a form of transport in which a living cell imports molecules, should occur.

June 19, 2018 Tags: Stefano, Brandizzi lab, fundamental research
PRL alumnus, Richard Vierstra, elected to National Academy of Sciences PRL alumnus, Richard Vierstra, elected to National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences, established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, recognizes achievement in science by election to membership.

June 18, 2018 Tags: awards
MSU hosts second Fascination of Plants Day MSU hosts second Fascination of Plants Day

PRL and MSU scientists invited the general public to explore the world of plants and algae, including fun hands-on activities for kids and adults.

June 13, 2018 Tags: outreach
Study shows how a gene helps plants manage their protein production in stressful times Study shows how a gene helps plants manage their protein production in stressful times

The NPR1 gene keeps the unfolded protein response, a plant fail-safe for stressful times, in check.

June 12, 2018 Tags: Brandizzi lab, fundamental research
2018 Anton Lang Memorial Award Winners Announced 2018 Anton Lang Memorial Award Winners Announced

Han Bao and Eric Poliner have won the 2018 Anton Lang Memorial Award.

June 11, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, Kerfeld lab, awards
Announcing the inaugural winners of the Keegstra and Thomashow 2018 Travel Award Announcing the inaugural winners of the Keegstra and Thomashow 2018 Travel Award

Pengfei Cao and Alyssa Preiser, both graduate students, were each awarded $1200 to present their research at upcoming science conferences.

June 7, 2018 Tags: Brandizzi lab, Sharkey lab, awards
Tina Dominguez-Martin awarded prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship Tina Dominguez-Martin awarded prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship

The award will provide up to $300,000 over three years to support the post-doc's research on marine cyanobacterial photoprotection.

May 31, 2018 Tags: Kerfeld lab, awards, future scientists
SPL1 protein plays a positive role in building plant cell peroxisomes SPL1 protein plays a positive role in building plant cell peroxisomes

Understanding how the plant cell's food processors are built might help us breed better plants and even benefit human medicine.

May 29, 2018 Tags: Hu lab, fundamental research
A new DNA editing toolkit for the alga Nannochloropsis A new DNA editing toolkit for the alga Nannochloropsis

The alga Nannochloropsis is increasingly of interest for the production of biofuels and other oil-based chemicals.

May 17, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, green solutions
PhD student, Aiko Turmo, awarded prestigious NSF fellowship PhD student, Aiko Turmo, awarded prestigious NSF fellowship

The fellowship is the oldest of its kind in the nation. Aiko will benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $34,000, a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees, and opportunities for career development.

May 15, 2018 Tags: Kerfeld lab, awards
When lipids meet hormones: plants' answer to complex stresses When lipids meet hormones: plants' answer to complex stresses

How plants harvest their own chloroplasts - photosynthesis machines that make their food - to help defend against outside threats.

May 7, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, future scientists, fundamental research
Yang Yang, PRL post-doc, starts science editor position at Wiley Beijing Yang Yang, PRL post-doc, starts science editor position at Wiley Beijing

Yang Yang, a former post-doc in the lab of Christoph Benning, has started a science editor position at the Wiley Beijing office. Wiley is a global company that specializes in academic publishing. 

April 30, 2018 Tags: Benning lab, future scientists

Top Stories

2023 Anton Lang Memorial Award winners announced 2023 Anton Lang Memorial Award winners announced

Graduate student Hannah Parks and postdoctoral researcher María Santos Merino have been awarded the 2023 Anton Lang Memorial Awards at a ceremony which took place on Monday, April 24, 2023. This year’s lecture was given by University Distinguished Professor Thomas D. Sharkey from Michigan State University.

Beating the heat: Exploring algae's ability to thrive in extreme environments Beating the heat: Exploring algae's ability to thrive in extreme environments

Found in acidic volcanic hot springs, the extremophilic alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae contains a unique process that allows them to survive in extreme environments. Researchers, led by graduate student Anne Steensma from the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, are looking at this process and its potential to change how we understand the ways photosynthetic organisms adapt to environmental challenges like high temperatures. 

Why this promising biofuel crop takes a summer break Why this promising biofuel crop takes a summer break

By explaining a photosynthetic peculiarity in switchgrass, MSU researchers from the Walker lab may have unlocked even more of the plant’s potential.