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Student Spotlight: For Abel Walker, Sustainability is Key to Living Well

Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

Two scientists in a laboratory

Feb 12, 2019

Fueling the Future: Elephant Grass as Potential Biofuel Material (And More)

A common perennial grass may hold uncommon promise for research, agriculture and industry – and it may even fuel the future. A team of NC State scientists are exploring the potential of miscanthus. 
Scientist in a lab holding a tray of Arabidopsis

Jan 9, 2019

Major Study Sheds Light on Plant Growth

An international team, including researchers from NC State, identifies the regulators that spur plants to grow larger and more complex once they’ve germinated. The research, published in the journal Nature, has important implications for agriculture. 
Two scientists, female in foreground and male in background.

Nov 13, 2018

Creating Molecular Tools To Impact Plant Growth

NSF CAREER award winner Anna Stepanova is creating molecular tools to turn certain plant genes on and off at will. She also plans to create a new biotechnology class and start an outreach effort for high school students and their science teachers. 
Image of person in the Phytotron, a controlled environment facility

Sep 21, 2018

Bob Franks Appointed Head of Plant and Microbial Biology

Dean Richard Linton has announced a new department head for Plant and Microbial Biology: Robert Franks. 
CALS student researcher Maura Cuebas

Sep 13, 2018

Student Researcher Seeks Cleaner Biofuels

A CALS lab has found a few bacteria that may hold potential for turning plant matter into fuel – and doctoral student Mara Cuebas-Irizarry is taking the research further. 
Accumulation of the HOPS subunit VPS41 at the vacuole membrane where it overlaps with the membrane marker SYP22.

Aug 23, 2018

Plant Protein Complex Plays Larger Role Than Previously Known in Important Growth and Development Process

A little-studied plant cellular complex plays an essential role in a biological process – vacuole fusion – critical to plant growth and development, according to new research from North Carolina State University. The findings shed light on complex and important plant processes as well as on how plants may have adapted to respond to environmental signals. 
Image of Mycobacterium smegmatis phage MicroWolf; H. Hendricks, NC State Phage Hunters.

Jul 27, 2018

Intestinal Virus Study Shows Major Changes Associated With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Unexpected patterns emerged in the microbial and viral communities of mice with intestinal inflammation during a study that examined the intestinal tracts of diseased and healthy mice. Spearheaded by researchers at North Carolina State University, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of Colorado, the study could lead to better understanding of potential causes and markers of inflammatory bowel disease. 
Irrigating a tobacco field

Jul 17, 2018

New Plant Sciences Research Projects Taking Shape

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences researchers and their partners near and far ramp up interdisciplinary plant research. Case in point: Researchers from NC State and three Danish universities have been working together to better understand plant-microbe interactions. 
Four flasks containing tiny brine shrimp

Jun 26, 2018

Fish Food

CALS postdoc Karen O’Connell studies the best ways to grow microalgae to feed tiny brine shrimp that could be the base of the food chain for higher-value farm-raised fish. 

Apr 25, 2018

Student Spotlight: For Abel Walker, Sustainability is Key to Living Well

Plant biology student Abel Walker looks outside his comfort zone as he prepares for life beyond his December 2018 graduation.