2016 Agenda

The 2016 Symposium is scheduled for October 21-22, 2016.

THURSDAY
(10/20/2016)

10:15 -Noon	BEACON Seminar - Microbiome Selection Workshop, Ulrich Mueller, Department of Plant Biology, University of Texas at Austin. A practical introduction on how to impose artificial selection on the microbiome to enhance properties that benefit the host, followed by discussion and Q&A. (Biomedical Physical Science 1455A) Register here!
2:00 -5:00	Center for Food Integrity supported by Michigan Soybean: GMO Communications Workshop (Biochemistry 208)
3:30 -4:30	Ulrich Mueller, Department of Plant Biology, University of Texas at Austin, "Artificial Selection on Beneficial Microbiomes of Animals and Plants: Principles of Microbiome Inheritance, Microbiome Heritability, and Differential Host-Microbiome Co-Propagation" (Eppley 118)

FRIDAY MORNING
(10/21/2016)

Session I
 Careers in Communication/Outreach and Biotechnology
Room 1415 Biomedical Physical Science Building - Facilitated by Alshae Logan, MMG Trainee
(Due to room capacity, the morning session is limited to confirmed registered participants only).

8:30	Welcome, Maren Friesen, Department of Plant Biology, MSU
8:35	Sheril Kirshenbaum, Director, The Energy Poll, The University of Texas at Austin. “There and Back Again: From the Bench to the Hill and other Adventures in Science.”
9:10	Ailing Zhou, Research Scientist, Syngenta Crops Protection, LLC. “From University to Industry: Navigating the Agricultural Biotechnology Workplace.”
9:45	Break
10:00	Colleen Friel, Plant Biology Graduate Program, MSU, "Student Internship Talk"
10:10	Randal Olson, Senior Data Scientist, Institute for Biomecical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, "Lessons Learned from my Experience with Science Outreach on the Web"
11:00	End of Session I

Session II
(Two Options Available)
11:10am - 12:30pm

	Option A — Careers in Biotechnology Panel
	Room 168 Plant Biology Building - Facilitated by Bryan Leong, BMB Trainee & Emily Wrenbeck, CHEMS Trainee
11:15	Geoff Horst, Algal Scientific.
11:20	Ailing Zhou, Syngenta Crop Protection LLC.
11:25	Ryan Philippe, ManusBio.
11:30	Doug Allen, Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center.
11:35	Panel Discussion
12:30	End of Session II
	Option B — Science Outreach in Developing Countries
	Room 1425 Biomedical Physical Science Building - Facilitated by Jamie Monson and Anastasiya Lavell, BMB Trainee
11:15	Introduction by Jamie Monson, Director, MSU African Studies.
11:25	Karim Maredia, Program Director, World Technology Access Program
11:45	Charles Steinfeld, Information and Communications Technology for Development Lead, Global Center for Food Systems Innovation.
12:05	Alexia Witcombe and Prisca Egoboluche, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, MSU
12:25	Concluding Remarks by Jamie Monson
12:30	End of Session II

FRIDAY AFTERNOON
(10/21/2016)
Room 1200 Molecular Plant Science Building

TRANSGENIC CROPS, CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES
Session Chair: Alyssa Preiser, BMB Graduate Student, MSU

1:40	Welcome, Dave DeWitt, College of Natural Science Associate Dean, MSU
1:45	Anastasiya Lavell, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, MSU, "The Role of Proteolysis in Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) Biosynthesis."
2:00	Doug Allen, Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center. “Using Isotopic Labeling and Flux Analysis to Understand Plant Metabolism.”
2:35	Robin Buell, Department of Plant Biology, MSU. “Outcomes from the National Academie of Science Report on Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects.”
2:55	John Ohlrogge, Department of Plant Biology, MSU. “From Gene Discovery to Field Production of a Special Plant Oil with Lower Viscosity, Freezing Temperature and Calories.”
3:15	Coffee Break

PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
Session Chair: Adam Seroka, PLB Graduate Student, MSU

3:35	Teresa Clark, Plant Biology Graduate Program, MSU. “Empirical Testing of Nutrient-Exchange Models in Legume-Rhizobia System.”
3:50	Maren Friesen, Department of Plant Biology, MSU. “A Tangled (Root) Bank: Interplay Between Plant-Plant Interactions, Plant-Microbe, and Microbe-Microbe Interactions.”
4:10	Ashley Shade, Department of Molecular and Microbial Genetics, MSU. “Plant-Microbiome Interactions and Synthetic Microbial Communities in Biotechnology.”

STUDENT INTERNSHIP TALK

4:30	Bryan Leong, Plant Biology Graduate Program, MSU, "Student Summer Internship at Synthetic Genomics"
4:40	Poster Session and Mixer, Atrium, Molecular Plant Sciences Building
6:00	Dinner, MSU Gardens Conservatory

SATURDAY MORNING
(10/22/2016)
Room 1200 Molecular Plant Science Building

8:00	Continental Breakfast, Atrium, Molecular Plant Sciences Building

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
Session Chair: Angelica Medina-Cucurella, CHEMS Graduate Student, MSU

8:55	Welcome, Bjoern Hamberger, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, MSU
9:00	Emily Wrenbeck, Chemical Engineering Graduate Program, MSU, "Comprehensive Sequence-Function Mapping of Proteins: New Methods and Applications"
9:15	Sean Cutler, Department of Plant Cell Biology and Chemistry, UC Riverside. “ABA Receptors and Plant Drought Tolerance.”
9:50	Brian Pfleger, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin. “Constructing Synthetic Biology Toolboxes for Non-Model Organisms.”
10:25	Ryan Philippe, Director, Research and Development, ManusBio. “Engineering a Plant Biosynthetic Pathway for Sustainable Production of a Natural Sweetener.”
11:00	Coffee Break

MUTUALISM AND PATHOGENICITY
Session Chair: Shawna Rowe, PLB Graduate Student, MSU

11:20	Philip Poole, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford-UK. “Microbial Colonisation of the Rhizosphere.”
11:55	Ulrich Mueller, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin. “Optimization of Artificial Selection on Rhizosphere Microbiomes of Plants; Applications for Greenhouse and Subsistence Farming.”
12:30	Closing Comments, Tim Whitehead, College of Engineering, MSU