Danforth Center's "Conversations" Series Continues

Online, February 29, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will host its quarterly "Conversations" Series sponsored by Boeing on Thursday, March 15, 2012 from 5:15 - 7:00 p.m. at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Road. The program will feature Dr. Brian Clevinger, Managing Director, Prolog Ventures, LLC and Dr. Jan Jaworski, Principle Investigator, Danforth Center who will discuss agricultural innovation's journey from the agar plate to the dinner plate.

The world's population of 7 billion will grow over 9 billion by the year 2050, along with the growing dilemma of not enough food to go around. Plant science continues to evolve with the goal of full plates for an expanding global population by meeting challenges in agriculture, like producing plants that use far less water, or that resist emerging pests and diseases.

The panel will highlight how impactful research in the lab can meet the demands of a booming population by reaching small farmers and consumers with today's technologies.

To join us for an enlightening discussion, reserve your spot today! Reservations are required but complimentary; seating is limited and priority will be given to Center Friends. To attend, please phone: 314-587-1070 or email: [email protected] or reserve online.

About the Speakers
Jan Jaworski, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Dr. Jarworski is a member and principal investigator at the Danforth Center. His research focuses on better understanding the pathways and enzymes in plants that are involved in lipid biosynthesis, including identifying genes responsible for producing unusual oils and those with potential industrial applications. Recently, his interest in the metabolic engineering of oil seeds expanded to include projects on the production of biofuels and biodegradable plastics.

Prior to joining the Center Dr. Jaworski was a professor and researcher in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for 27 years. Jaworski earned his B.A. in chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts and received his Ph.D. from Purdue University.

Brian L. Clevinger, Ph.D., Managing Director, Prolog Ventures, LLC
Dr. Clevinger is a founder and managing director of Prolog Ventures, a St. Louis based early stage, life science venture capital fund. He has actively participated in all phases of commercial technology development for nearly two decades. Before Prolog, he was the CEO of Megan Health, a vaccine developer. He held this position from Megan's inception until its acquisition by AVANT Immunotherapeutics. Previously, Dr. Clevinger was the president of A/W Company, a technology transfer partnership of the private equity firm Alafi Capital and Washington University. Working with Washington University researchers, he evaluated numerous technologies, selected the most commercially promising ones for funding, and served on the board of each resulting enterprise. Before joining A/W Company, he held a tenured position and headed a research laboratory at Washington University. Dr. Clevinger holds a doctoral degree in immunology from Indiana University and was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Washington University.

About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center's work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center's scientists, news and research, including the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, the Center for Advanced Biofuel Research, and the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts. Public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new "Roots & Shoots" blog help keep visitors up to date with Center's current operations and areas of research. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.

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