21 | NWSLTR
My lab is interested in compounds Cannabis produces that can be used to for improving human and animal health or facilitate manufacturing. To reliably make these compounds, we first must know how they are synthesized in the plant and what controls their accumulation. Cannabis is a wonderfully fascinating plant. It is quite possibly the only plant in the world where a single plant tissue (i.e. the flowers) can produce over 30% of its weight in a single compound like cannabinoids or other specialized metabolites. This makes the plant highly valuable as a potential chemical production platform - be that for pharmaceutical or industrial compounds. 2. One of your goals is to develop superior hemp genetics for the Ohio River Valley. What specific traits are you focusing on, and how could these benefit farmers in Ohio? Unlike other crops, little effort has been placed on hemp breeding in the US, but specifically in the Ohio River Valley region. My breeding efforts primarily focus on grain and fiber varieties, but I also have an interest in unusual chemicals for metabolite hemp crops. For grain and fiber, my efforts focus on an optimal flowering time for Ohio, seed traits, plant height, and of course yield. The goal is to develop varieties that are consistent and reliable for Ohio farmers to grow, so they can be successful producing hemp crops for grain and fiber. 3. You’re also working to expand the chemical diversity of hemp. How might these new chemical profiles open the door to novel applications for hemp-derived products? The chemical diversity in hemp is outstanding. I am interested in selecting plants to produce high levels of diverse compounds to facilitate new markets ranging from herbal supplements to medicines for humans and animals as well as industrial compounds such as solvents and biofuels. As a state with a strong background in both agriculture and manufacturing, novel plant chemistries can enhance the state’s ability to manufacture new and current products while simultaneously increasing the sustainability and security of their production.
Cannabis, including hemp, have long been a controversial topic in Ohio and the US. Despite state and federal changes to allow hemp production, there remain a number of regulatory challenges to produce this crop. Changes in these policies directly impact not only the hemp industry but hemp research as well. For example, shifts in how the hemp program is handled, either at the state or federal level, may directly change what research my lab can do. 5. Your work extends beyond hemp to other plants producing natural products. What potential do you see in diversifying these research efforts, and how could they contribute to the broader natural products market? While my work heavily focuses on hemp, I do have an interest in natural products from other plants. The reason is the same as with hemp, finding ways to use agriculture production to support manufacturing and/ or health. Plants are nature’s chemists; they make all sorts of unique compounds. As chemically diverse as Cannabis is, it does not produce everything. Other plants can be excellent platforms for production of other chemicals. Using agriculture to diversify production of industrial compounds will support sustainability and reduce reliance on foreign markets for supplying necessary chemicals. 6. How many students do you estimate have worked with you on your research projects since you came to Central State? How do you approach preparing Central State University students that you mentor to become the next generation of plant science and agricultural researchers? In my time at Central State, I have worked with over 36 students on different research projects. I love working with students because you actively get to see them grow in their knowledge and problem-solving skills. My mentoring centers on the fact that everyone is good at something. So, I like to let the student find a way to use their skills to solve a problem my lab is addressing. Magical things happen when you let student be creative.
might expect for a plant lab, but business, psychology, and criminal justice. They all bring something unique to the table that can help my lab look at a problem in a new way. In the process, many of my student have found a new passion for plants and agriculture - because they combine it with something they already enjoy. I think a passion for plants and agriculture are critically important, as we have a society that is often so disconnected from agriculture they do understand how it impacts everyone’s daily life - yet we all have to eat!
For more information about Dr. Craig Schluttenhofer’s (pictured above) research projects, email him at: cschluttenhofer@ centralstate.edu.
Dr. Schluttenhofer’s postdoctoral researchers include (l-r) Venkata Satish Rangu, Femi Fawole, and Shadab Panahi. Not pictured is the third post-doc, Dr. Femi Fawole.
4. Your study also focuses on the relationship between Cannabis policies and its agricultural use. How do current regulations shape the direction and impact of your research?
They really open up and truly learn what it means to do research and use it to solve society’s problems. That is why I have worked with students from all backgrounds, not just biology or sustainable agriculture as one
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