Computer Science Department Events

There will be a Colloquium on October 21 at 10:30 AM by Eric Johnson

Friday October 21

E&CS Building Auditorium (1st Floor)

TIME: 10:30 (Donuts) 10:40 (Talk)

Title: Use of computer algorithms to discover novel regulatory elements of a plant biosynthetic pathway

Speaker: Eric Johnson, Research Molecular Biologist, USDAAbstract:

Corn farmers suffer crop losses in some years due to contamination of moldsthat are harmful to livestock and humans. Extensive research has determinedthat increasing levels of insect resistance in corn usually reduces the levelsof mold contamination. Our research goal is to develop new sources of insectresistance for Midwest corn that reduces insect damage and mold contamination.Corn, as well as wheat, naturally produces a biochemical during its juvenilelife stage that is deleterious to insect development. Computer algorithmsdeveloped by two faculty members of Old Dominion University have helpedidentify DNA elements that are present in the promoters of a select group ofcorn and wheat genes responsible for the production of the anti-insectbiochemical. Identification of the mechanisms of how this biochemical isregulated in these crops could one day lead to the creation of plants thatproduce the anti-insect biochemical throughout the plant's life.

Bio:

Eric Johnson received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley andthen completed M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington State University. Heworked as a postdoctoral scientist at Washington State University, the KumhoLife Science and Environmental Science Laboratory in South Korea, and finallywith the USDA ARS in Peoria, Illinois. His work in Korea contributed towardsthe development of an orange-colored Petunia flower line through the targetedmutagenesis of an enzyme involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis; this workresulted in three US patents. Eric accepted a permanent position with ARS atPeoria in 2003 as a Research Molecular Biologist. His main research emphasiscenters on developing new sources of insect resistance for Midwest corn. Ericis very interested in utilizing diverse plant biochemicals for insectresistance. His favorite work to date involved the demonstration thatanthocyanins in both Petunia and maize can slow the development of someinsects. He is also interested in identifying novel genes from crops that couldpotentially be used in pest management.