Achievement

Chris Simmons and PI Jean VanderGheynst have established several new transient expression systems via agroinfiltration. In creating these systems, they have encountered several biology-based challenges involving transformation and product purification. Chris, a biological systems engineer, has worked with micro- and cell biologists to overcome these research constraints. Results suggest that exposure to plant tissue relates to an increase in T-strand production from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1. T-strand levels appear to elevate very quickly, with maximum T-strands concentrations being achieved within minutes after exposure to plant tissue.

The VanderGheynst lab has also performed interdisciplinary research related to biofuel production from microalgae, discovering endogenous enzyme activity specific for cell wall polymers.