Iowa State University and Noble Foundation Researchers Study Enhancing Oil Production in Plants

Biofuels Journal
Date Posted: December 9, 2011

Ames, IA—An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards a low-carbon society.

The research will look at the chemistry of basic processes in plants and how those functions can be better known and used.

"We are trying to better understand the biology (of plants) and make it a more predictable science in terms of predicting positive attributes," said Basil Nikolau, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology.

"With that information, we can manipulate (plants) to do anything you want."

One of the targets of the research is to allow scientists to alter plants so they produce more or better oils, or lipids.

These molecules are more efficient in storing energy than starch molecules.

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