Danforth Center’s “Conversations” Series Continues
Bringing Plant Science Discoveries to the Marketplace
ST. LOUIS, MO, August 12, 2013 – The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s "Conversations" series, sponsored by Boeing, will continue on Thursday, August 29, 2013 with a reception at 5:15 p.m. and the program at 6:00 p.m. at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Road. The program will feature Dr. Jim Carrington, President of the Danforth Center; and Dr. Tom Adams, Vice President of Chemistry Technology at Monsanto.
For over a decade, new technologies like RNA silencing have been used to discover and investigate plant traits to improve crops. RNA silencing is a powerful tool within the plant scientist's toolkit to understand how plants resist pests and diseases, find treatments and possible cures, and how plants produce valuable products and survive in diverse and changing environments.
The technology is already being applied in crop plants to provide resistance against viruses and improved oil composition. Researchers are now advancing RNA silencing technology to deliver new products that improve yield, and accelerate the ability of farmers to respond to changing growing conditions.
To join us for an enlightening discussion about the impact this science will have on the future of agriculture and the commercial marketplace, moderated by Dr. Jim Davis, Professor Emeritus from Washington University, please reserve your spot. Reservations are required but complimentary; seating is limited. To attend, please phone: 314-587-1070 or email: conversations@danforthcenter.org or reserve online.
If you missed any past Conversations programs, you can view them here.
About the Speakers
Dr. James C. Carrington, President, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center,
Dr. Carrington has been President of the Danforth Center since 2011. Prior to joining the Center, Carrington served on the faculties at Texas A & M and Washington State universities. Most recently, he was the Director of the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing (CGRB), the Stewart Professor for Gene Research, and Distinguished Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University. Internationally recognized for his research on gene silencing, the functions of small RNA, and virus-host interactions, Carrington’s work in the small RNA field has focused on mechanisms through which plants and other organisms use non-coding RNA to control growth and development and to defend against viruses. In 2008, Carrington was elected as a Member of the National Academy of Science, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Phytopathological Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His awards include the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, the Ruth Allen Award from the American Society for Phytopathology, and the Humboldt Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Carrington earned his bachelor’s degree in plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside. And later, he received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley,
Dr. Tom H. Adams, Vice President of Chemistry Technology, Monsanto,
Dr. Adams has been the Vice President of Chemistry Technology since 2009 where he has lead the expansion of Monsanto’s Acceleron® seed treatment platform, growth of herbicide solutions including Warrant early PRE in cotton and soy markets, technical innovations to continue to reduce COGs in Roundup® as well developing novel approaches to weed resistance management. Following postdoctoral research in fungal genetics at the University of Georgia, Adams joined the faculty in the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University where he established an independent research program investigating genetic controls of fungal development and mycotoxin production. Later, Adams became involved in the startup of Monsanto’s Cereon Genomics facility, joining Monsanto full-time in 1998 as Discovery Director at Cereon. After holding various positions with Monsanto, in Adams moved to lead Strategy, Operations, and Prospecting for Biotechnology before moving to lead the Chemistry Organization. Tom received his bachelor’s degree in botany and plant pathology in 1981 from Oregon State University and his Ph.D. in microbiology in 1986 from Michigan State University where he studied control of nitrogen fixation during the Bradyrhizobium/soybean symbiotic interaction.
Melanie Bernds
Public Relations Manager
Donald Danforth Plant Science
Center
(314) 587-1647, direct line
(314) 605-6363, mobile
Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.
About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center’s scientists, news and research, including the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, the Center for Advanced Biofuel Research, and the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts. Public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new “Roots & Shoots” blog help keep visitors up to date with Center’s current operations and areas of research. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.
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