Aug 5, 2015

Harnessing plants for health

Claire Thetford analyzed what happens when you treat colon cancer cells with broccoli extract. Doriane Taylor hunted for plant genes related to amino acid biosynthesis. And Bethany Latham and Emily Riffe helped map the production of caffeine in four plant species used by indigenous people of the Americas. While their lab work was different, the four NC State University students shared a common goal this summer: to explore ways to harness plants’ benefits for human health.

Sep 26, 2014

NC State scientists crack mysteries of walnuts

Walnuts are known to be a rich source of disease-fighting nutrients; they are often labeled a “superfood” and are key components of the Mediterranean diet. Yet as much as science has revealed about the health benefits of walnuts, their phytochemical makeup in large has remained a mystery to this point.

May 22, 2014

N.C. State scientists create food ingredient to combat peanut allergies

A team of scientists from the Plants for Human Health Institute has developed a food ingredient from peanut flour and cranberry extracts, among other plants, that has the potential to lessen the life-threatening allergic reactions brought on by peanut consumption.

Apr 9, 2014

Study shows blueberries reduce risk of Parkinson’s

A recent study has shown that consumption of blueberries, long considered a “super food,” may protect human brain performance and reduce the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease. In the United States, it is estimated that one million people suffer from Parkinson’s, which is the 14th leading cause of death in the country, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.

Oct 9, 2013

Program awards funding to expand agricultural businesses

The North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share (NCVACS) program and the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (NCTTFC) this week announced the recipients of 2013 equipment cost share awards. Coordinated by N.C. Cooperative Extension, NCVACS awarded $311,938 to 20 agricultural operations across the state.

Jul 12, 2013

PHHI Extension partnership lands $425,000 in grants

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension component of N.C. State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI), in partnership with the university’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, has secured more than $400,000 in funding through two major grant programs to assist the state’s growers and agricultural operations in 2013.

Jun 4, 2013

Strawberry breeding program receives national grants

Dr. Jeremy Pattison, strawberry breeder and geneticist with the N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute at the N.C. Research Campus, is working on two grant-funded projects to support work in transferring the latest research to strawberry growers in North and South Carolina and Virginia to maximize yields and profitability.

Nov 8, 2012

Day five on the Dean’s tour: Kannapolis, Charlotte and Winston-Salem

On the fifth leg of his statewide tour, Dean Richard Linton visited the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis and had meetings in Charlotte and Winston-Salem.

Sep 18, 2012

N.C. State gets new plant scientist, expands at N.C. Research Campus

N.C. State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute continues its expansion efforts by adding another established scientist to its team at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. Dr. Tzung-Fu Hsieh (pronounced: “Zung Foo Shay”) joined the institute in August 2012 and is developing a research program centered on the biological systems of flowering plants, including fruits and vegetables. With the addition of Hsieh, N.C. State now employs nearly 50 faculty and staff in Kannapolis.

Apr 24, 2012

N.C. State develops mobile hand-washing stations to help farmers reduce food safety risks

As food safety issues continue to garner national attention, N.C. State University is helping farmers in North Carolina take steps to manage food safety risks. N.C. State has developed two portable hand-washing station prototypes as customizable models for local growers in an effort to help them provide quality hand-washing facilities in their fields and at their market stalls.