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Biosynthetic pathway in bacteria a recipe for drug discovery and production

Claudia Lutz

Microbes are master chefs of the biomolecular world; collectively, they harbor the ability to produce a vast array of unknown substances, some of which may have therapeutic or…

Woese Undergraduate Scholars set for a summer of science

Claudia Lutz

Two of the most basic motivations that drive scientific research—exploration of the unknown and the desire to solve a pressing problem—are represented by this year’s Carl R.

Improved model better predicts crop yield, climate change effects

Claire Benjamin

A new computer model incorporates how microscopic pores on leaves may open in response to light—an advance that could help scientists create virtual plants to predict how…

Yield-boosting stay-green gene identified from 118-year-old corn

Lauren Quinn

A corn gene identified from a 118-year-old experiment at the University of Illinois could boost yields of today’s elite hybrids with no added inputs.

Kleinmuntz Center website launches


The Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz Center for Genomics in Business and Society provides unique opportunities for economic development, public engagement, and social impact…

Scientists transform tobacco into factory for high-value proteins

Claire Benjamin

For thousands of years, plants have produced food for humans, but with genetic tweaks, they can also manufacture proteins like Ebola vaccines, antibodies to combat a range of…

Great Barrier Reef coral provides correction factor to global climate

Lois Yoksoulian

Newly developed geological techniques help uncover the most accurate and high-resolution climate records to date, according to a new study.

A warming Midwest increases likelihood that farmers will need to irrigate

Diana Yates

If current climate and crop-improvement trends continue into the future, Midwestern corn growers who today rely on rainfall to water their crops will need to irrigate their…

Fast, efficient way to build amino acid chains

Ananya Sen

Scientists often build new protein molecules by stringing groups of amino acids together.

Scientists stack algorithms to improve predictions of yield-boosting crop traits

Claire Benjamin

Hyperspectral data comprises the full light spectrum; this dataset of continuous spectral information has many applications from understanding the health of the Great Barrier…

'Fettuccine' may be most obvious sign of life on Mars

Diana Yates

A rover scanning the surface of Mars for evidence of life might want to check for rocks that look like pasta, researchers

Breakthrough to measure plant improvements helps boost production

Claire Benjamin

An international team is using advanced tools to develop crops that give farmers more options for sustainably producing more food on less land.