Researchers forge ahead with USDA-funded grant
Submitted by the Agricultural Communications Department

On Dec. 1, Drs. Agnes M. Rimando and Fabricio Medina-Bolivar visited the Agricultural Research Station at Fort Valley State University to evaluate research progress on Scutellaria (medicinal plant) biology. FVSU scientists and the visiting scientists have completed the first year of a project funded by an 1890/U.S. Department of Agriculture Capacity Building Grant. Dr. Nirmal Joshee, an assistant professor of plant science at FVSU, is the principal investigator of the project.

The visiting scientists also presented seminars entitled "Basics of Phytochemical Screening" and "Hairy root culture and their role in the production of pharmaceutically important compounds."

"This was a great opportunity for our graduate students to attend these seminars and interact with eminent scientists in the field," said Joshee.

Some of the graduate students plan to do their theses research in these areas. Both visiting scientists have agreed to provide guidance and short-term training to our students in their respective disciplines, Joshee said. 

Rimando, a research chemist at the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service organization in Oxford, Miss is the winner of the Mid-South Area Senior Research Scientist for this year. She won the award for her research on stilbenes that has positively impacted the blueberry industry and has provided the basis for using these compounds to benefit human health. Rimando has been associated with Scutellaria research at FVSU since 2002.

Medina-Bolivar is a highly accomplished researcher in the area of metabolic engineering at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute based at Arkansas State University. With his expertise, the research team has succeeded in developing many hairy root clones of Scutellaria and the research was presented in October at the International Plant Molecular Biology meeting in St. Louis, Mo.

The researchers also had a discussion with Dr. Govind Kannan, interim assistant dean for research at FVSU, and briefed him on the progress made thus far and future plans, including submitting another grant proposal on the medicinal properties of Scutellaria.

From Left to Right: Dr. Anand K. Yadav, a professor of Specialty Plant Biotechnology at Fort Valley State University; Dr. Agnes M. Rimando, a research chemist for the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Oxford, Miss.; Dr. Govind Kannan, interim assistant dean for research at FVSU; Dr. Nirmal Joshee an assistant professor and principal investigator of the Scutellaria project at FVSU; and Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar,a metabolic engineer at the Arkansas Bioscience Institute based at  Arkansas State University, pose for a photo during a recent meeting held at FVSU.