By:
Tom Nordlie (352) 392-0400

Source(s):
Janaki Alavalapati janaki@ufl.edu, (352) 846-0899
Lawrence Datnoff ledatnoff@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-3631 ext. 383
Jude Grosser jwg@crec.ifas.ufl.edu, (863) 956-1151 ext. 1372
Curt Hannah hannah@ifas.ufl.edu, 352) 392-1928 ext. 315

Additional Sources:
George O’Connor gao@ufl.edu, (352) 392-7181
K.T. Shanmugam shan@ufl.edu, (352) 392-2490

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Six faculty members with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have been named UF Research Foundation Professors for 2006, in recognition of their past research accomplishments and strong current research agendas.

The honorees are Janaki Alavalapati, Lawrence Datnoff, Jude Grosser, Curt Hannah, George O’Connor and K.T. Shanmugam.

Campuswide, 33 UF faculty members were named Research Foundation Professors. Presented in April, the three-year award provides each honoree with a $5,000 annual salary supplement and a $3,000 grant.

Janaki Alavalapati, an associate professor with the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, studies economics and policy related to sustainable forestry, environmental services, wildland-urban interface, biomass and bioenergy, climate change and protected areas management.

Lawrence Datnoff, a professor with the plant pathology department, focuses on the biology, etiology, epidemiology and control of foliar and soilborne diseases of rice, turfgrass, and, most recently, ornamentals. He is perhaps best known for studying how silicon, used as a fertilizer, can help rice and turfgrass resist disease, and has been investigating the mechanism(s) responsible for this effect.

Jude Grosser, a professor of horticultural sciences at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, specializes in genetics and biotechnology research related to citrus variety improvement. His work has addressed all major citrus production problems in Florida and the development of new citrus varieties to provide growers with greater marketing opportunities.

Curt Hannah, a professor with the horticultural sciences department, researches the molecular genetics of starch production in corn. He is particularly interested in genetic mutations that change the size, shape and texture of corn seed. Recent studies have also investigated the effects of introns, DNA sequences in plant genes that are not copied by messenger RNA during protein synthesis.

George O’Connor, a professor with the soil and water science department, focuses on the application of basic soil chemistry to issues associated with the land application of nonhazardous wastes, primarily biosolids. His interests include determining how chemicals in the wastes move through the soil, and developing methods to control the impact of these chemicals on the environment.

K.T. Shanmugam, a professor with the microbiology and cell science department, researches the physiological processes involved when bacterial cells synthesize enzymes containing the element molybdenum. His current research focuses on engineering bacteria as biocatalysts for cost-effective conversion of biomass-derived sugars to fuel ethanol, hydrogen and commodity chemicals, such as lactic acid, a bioplastics precursor.

All UF Research Foundation Professors are selected based on recommendations from their college deans. The research professorships are funded from UF’s share of royalty and licensing income from technologies developed by faculty, staff and students.

Founded in 1986, the UF Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports research by faculty members and facilitates transfer of UF-developed innovations to the public.

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