Danforth Center Investigators Secure Grants
from the Missouri Life Sciences Trust Fund
Plants and Biodegradable Fueling the Future with
Plastics Plant-Based Energy
Danforth Center Principal Collaborative funds from a
Investigator and Vice President Missouri Life Sciences Trust grant
for Research Dr. Jan Jaworski awarded to Dr. Himradri Pakrasi,
teamed with Danforth Principal Director of the International
Investigators Drs. Ed Cahoon Jan Jaworski Center for Advanced Renewable
and Joe Jez to receive $1.1 Energy and Sustainability
million in funding from the (I-CARES) at Washington
Missouri Life Sciences Trust. University in St. Louis were
They are collaborating with awarded to a group of Danforth
the Boston-based company Center investigators. Drs. Roger
Metabolix, Inc. to develop new Beachy, Tom Smith, Oliver Yu,
bioplastics created from non- and Monica Schmidt will join
food oilseed crops that will Dr. Pakrasi in conducting research
be suitable for industrial and
Joe Jez
to address the development of
medical uses as a renewable biofuels.
source of biodegradable
This project is focused on
plastics.
improving the efficiency of
The funding from the State transforming biological materials
of Missouri has attracted into energy, enhancing the
Metabolix, Inc. to establish a reliability and cost effectiveness
research presence in St. Louis of biofuels, and increasing the
by launching a laboratory at
Ed Cahoon
efficiency of transforming sunlight
the Nidus Center for Scientific into energy via plants. The ultimate
Enterprise, located on the goal is to provide inexpensive
Monsanto Company campus and abundant energy and help
across the street from the transition biofuels from a boutique
Danforth Center. to a primary energy source.
Grape Vines, Missouri Wines, and Improving Human Health
Danforth Center researchers Drs. Oliver Yu and Daniel Schachtman received
collaborative funds as part of a Missouri Life Sciences Trust project grant
in collaboration with Drs. Kovacs, Qiu, Durham and Biagioni of Missouri
State University in Springfield, Missouri. This is a multidisciplinary and
comprehensive research program to characterize grape polyphenols and
how they are produced in plants. Polyphenols have beneficial properties
for human health and help protect plants from disease. These studies are
important because they will lead to developing new, high-value commercial
products and enhancing disease resistance in grapevines.
Researchers are using the Norton grape, a disease resistant grapevine
native to Missouri, to develop strategies for increasing polyphenol content
and fungal resistance in grapevines to benefit the wine industry both in
Missouri and worldwide. The team is studying ripening grape berries to
identify new sources of beneficial polyphenols for enhancing human health.
Advancing our Science 7
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