Translational Research in Agriculture and Medicine (TRAM)
Typically academic centers do very basic research on model organisms, while industrial partners are unable to devote the resources and incur the risks associated with translating such research to commercially relevant crops or breeds. Even if the academic research is on the targeted organism, such as humans or important crop plants, significant development must occur before a laboratory innovation can become commercially viable. BIO5 works with academic and commercial partners to identify high potential projects and form collaborations among scientists in basic and applied research. The goal is to obtain results demonstrating proof of principle.
The TRAM initiative builds on prerequisites unique to BIO5 and the University of Arizona:
- The University of Arizona’s expertise and resources as a Land Grant institution
- BIO5’s extensive capabilities in genomics, proteomics and metabolomics embodied by the Genome Structure and Function Consortium (GSFC)
- A Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute
- A Pharmacy College ranked 4th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report
Translational Agriculture Initiative: From the Lab to the Greenhouse
Feeding a growing population and sustaining a livable environment are prime global challenges. Recent developments in genetic engineering and advances in molecular understanding of plant physiology and biochemistry are expected to provide the means to tackle these challenges. However, actual applications and improvements of agricultural and horticultural crops lag behind the state-of-the-art knowledge gained through basic research. In order to close the gap between basic research and commercial significance, BIO5 is launching a translational agriculture program, which will be developed and expanded in the next five-year cycle. Leading plant scientists are working toward closing that gap and bringing cutting-edge findings into agriculture. One approach is to introduce recently discovered, functionally useful genes into agricultural and horticultural crop species to overcome food and fiber deficiencies and environmental problems worldwide. Research results in agriculture will make it possible to increase the productivity of marginal cropland by creating plants that need less water or can tolerate soils with higher salt content. Our food crops will be more nutritious and their production will be more environmentally friendly because they will be less dependent on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Producing more food and fiber crops on smaller amounts of land will keep existing ecosystems intact.
Seeking Collaborations: The Translational Agriculture group
Our Translational Agriculture group combines expertise in controlled environment agriculture, turf grass production, weed management, ornamental and landscape horticulture, vegetable production and post harvest physiology, field crop production and irrigation management.
Currently, we are working with a basic sciences research institute to translate their early plant discoveries and intellectual property into commercially useful crops. Recently, BIO5 has established a partnership with the University's Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC). CEAC is dedicated to developing cost-effective means of utilizing resources, e.g. water, energy and labor, in advanced agricultural crop production practices.
We seek other collaborations with plant molecular biologists to translate and apply their basic science findings into solutions for pressing agricultural and horticultural problems in Arizona and beyond, as well as corporate partners to broadly commercialize our results.
For more information, please contact or .
Ongoing projects:
- Developing plants with enhanced ability to cope with salt-rich soil, drought, heat and cold
- Making important landscape and ornamental plant species less susceptible to drought to reduce overall water use
- Enhancing capabilities to fight microbial pathogens and pests in crop and horticultural species important to Arizona's agriculture
- Improving crop yield and quality and post harvest shelf life
- Using plants to produce pharmaceuticals