“
WE ARE EXCITED TO USE OUR SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE TO TACKLE SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES. GENOMICS IS A POWERFUL TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND A PLANT’S GENOME AND HOW IT CAN BE ENHANCED TO REPLACE FOSSIL FUEL-BASED PRODUCTS, REDUCE WASTE, AND CREATE ENVIRON- MENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIES.
KANKSHITA SWAMINATHAN, PHD FACULTY INVESTIGATOR
REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF CONSTRUCTION AND CONSUMER GOODS Dr. Swaminathan and her team, along with Jeremy Schmutz from the HudsonAlpha Genome Sequencing Center and Sam Jackson, PhD, Program Director, lead the BRIDGES (Biobased Rural Initiative for Biomass Growth and Economic Security) to create plant-based, carbon- neutral products. Perennial grasses such as miscanthus and switchgrass are great candidates for plant-based products because they require few resources to grow and can thrive in North
American environments where most other plants cannot. By unlocking the hidden potential in their DNA, our researchers are optimizing these grasses for use in sustainable construction materials, automotive components, and consumer goods such as disposable food containers. In addition to improving the grasses, the team is work- ing with more than seventy partners across the Southeast, such as Auburn University and University of Tennessee, as well as industry stakeholders like Volkswagen, FedEx, and many other manufacturers and farmers, to create jobs and empower local communities to contribute to communities across the South.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker