By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Genetically modified organism expert Tom Clemente will speak in Kearney about biotechnology in agriculture.
Clemente, professor of biotechnology at the Center for Plant Science Innovation and Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present “Agriculture Biotechnology” at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Cunningham’s Journal The Loft, 15 W. 23rd St.
The talk is presented by University of Nebraska at Kearney Chapter of Sigma Xi’s Science Café program. It is free and open to the public.
Clemente earned his master of science degree in plant pathology from Oklahoma State University, his Ph.D. in plant pathology from North Carolina State University, and completed post-doctoral work in biotechnology at Monsanto in St. Louis.
He began working as a research assistant professor at UNL in 1996.
His research interests are in developing tools for functional genomics and implementing genetic engineering for plant germplasm enhancement targeting value added and disease control traits. Clemente’s lab has research programs in soybean, wheat, maize, sorghum and turf grasses.
Clemente also serves as director of the Plant Transformation Core Research Facility at the University of Nebraska. The state-of-the-art facility provides services for vector constructions, plant transformations and characterizations of the derived transformants.
The Science Café is sponsored by the UNK Biology Department, UNK Chapter of Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society and American Democracy Project.
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Source: Kim Carlson, 308.865.1554, carlsonka1@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
