Postdoctoral research associate Thomas Slewinski found a gene that is currently repressed in most plant leaves that has the potential to grow crops 50 percent more efficiently in dry climates.
At a panel on Thursday, the Cornell University Genetic Ancestry Program released the results to the genetic lineages of 200 randomly selected undergraduates.
Members of the American Indian Program argue that the project overlooks the political and socio-cultural patterns that have historically shaped the identities of indigenous communities.
Prof. Edward Buckler, plant breeding and genetics, uses statistics to identify more nutritious corn breeds. A Sub-Saharan corn variant with a 16-fold increase in vitamin A is scheduled to be deployed in 2014.
Headed by researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the Broad Institute, the 1000 Genomes Project has announced results from several pilot studies in a paper published in Nature on Oct. 28. The report described the use of advanced technology for sequencing more than 1000 human genomes from 27 populations worldwide.
Transgenic plants - plants containing DNA from other organisms - have risen to the center of controversy in recent years. Experts at the Boyce Thompson Institute study the genetics of plants, unlocking keys to the development of these potentially revolutionary organisms. Beyond the labs, faculty apply their knowledge to educate the public about this mystifying science.
Barbara McClintock was the first female Nobel Laureate for Physiology or Medicine to receive the prize unshared. She is celebrated today, among other things, for discovering transposable elements, for which she received the Nobel Prize in 1983. Her work, at a time when there were very few female scientists, made her a role model for many women.
Email this Science Story
