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C. Neil Stewart, Jr. PhD: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1993) 2431 Center Drive |
Keywords:
transgenic plants, introgression, functional genomics, environmental sensing, plant-insect interactions, plant-pathogen interactions, biophotonics, phytoremediation, bio/ag security
Description of Research:
Neal Stewart's lab participates in the interfaces between environmental biology, functional genomics, biotechnology, with plants being at the core of the reserach. The Stewart lab is especially interested in agricultural applications of biotechnology and genomics. The effects of gene flow from transgenic crops to weeds have long been researched with an emphasis now in understanding the consequences of transgene introgression and competition on wild plants. That research has recently led the lab into investigations of the functional genomics of weeds and wild plants. Of special interest are understanding mechanisms of aluminum tolerance, the evolution of herbicide tolerance, and the genomics underlying weediness traits. Another facet of the lab is focused on producing plants to sense pathogens and chemicals in the environment and using reporter genes for detection and monitoring. This and the previous topic (weed genomics) have prompted new interests in comparative genomics: using microarrays to examine the varieties of transcriptional responses to a range of bacteria, fungi, and xenobiotics, as well as comparing responses among species of plants. In addition, the Stewart lab is participating in collaborative research in phytoremediation, biological and agricultural security, and will soon be adding a bioenergy focus. In conclusion, our research is almost always multidisciplinary and collaborative in nature and spans from molecular to ecological.
Selected Publications:
- Stewart, C.N., Jr. (2004). Genetically Modified Planet: Environmental Impacts of Engineered Plants. Oxford University Press. (in preparation)
- Stewart, C.N., Jr. M.D. Halfhill and S.I Warwick (2003). Transgene introgression from genetically modified crops to their wild relatives. Nature Reviews Genetics. 4: 806-817.
- Halfhill, M.D., R.J. Millwood, A.K. Weissinger, S.I. Warwick, and C.N. Stewart, Jr. (2003). Additive transgene expression and genetic introgression in multiple GFP transgenic crop x weed hybrid generations. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 107: 1533-1540.
- Kooshki, M., A. Mentewab, and C.N. Stewart, Jr. (2003). Pathogen inducible reporting in transgenic tobacco using a GFP construct.. Plant Science. 165: 213-219.
- Millwood, R. J., M. D. Halfhill, D. Harkins, R. Russotti, and C. N. Stewart, Jr. (2003). Instrumentation and methodology for quantifying GFP fluorescence in intact plant organs. BioTechniques. 34: 638-643.
- Stewart, C.N., Jr. (2002). Unattended Ground Genetically modified plants for tactical systems applications. Proceedings of SPIE. 4743: 290-296.
- Stewart, C.N., Jr. (2001). The utility of green fluorescent protein in transgenic plants. Plant Cell Reports. 20: 376-382.
- Halfhill, M.D., H.A. Richards, S.A. Mabon, and C.N. Stewart, Jr (2001). Expression of GFP and Bt transgenes in Brassica napus and hybridization with Brassica rapa. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 103: 659-667.
- Harper, B.K., S.A. Mabon, S.M. Leffel, M.D. Halfhill, H.A. Richards, K.A. Moyer, and C.N. Stewart, Jr. (1999). Green fluorescent protein in transgenic plants indicates the presence and expression of a second gene.. Nature Biotechnology. 17: 1125-1129.