International Agriculture

Thiago Martins

Jan. 23, 2024

Thiago Martins

Our laboratory conducts studies on the topics of hormonal control of the estrous cycle and early embryonic losses in beef cattle. Specifically, we investigate progesterone-based strategies to improve efficiency of estrous synchronization programs for beef cows, embryo-maternal communication, and new fertility-promoting molecules. The research studies involve use of steroid assays, ultrasound, molecular techniques, and omics approaches. Our laboratory is also committed to promoting the use of reproductive biotechnologies in cow-calf operations. Educational background Ph.D., Reproductive Physiology, University of São Paulo M.S., Animal Production, São Paulo State University D.V.M., São Paulo State University…

Stephen Mukembo

March 20, 2023

Stephen Mukembo

Mukembo’s interdisciplinary research aims to advance entrepreneurship and innovation as a tool for addressing societal challenges, promoting economic growth, and improving community livelihoods. His work focuses on cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurial and innovative thought leaders, equipped to tackle existing and emerging issues in agriculture, food, and natural resources, as well as rural economic development challenges in Missouri and beyond. Mukembo’s interdisciplinary interests include entrepreneurship and innovation in agriculture (agripreneurship), entrepreneurship and workforce development, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainable food systems, rural entrepreneurship and ecosystem building, and international agricultural development. Educational background Ph.D., Agricultural Education (Minor Entrepreneurship), Oklahoma State University MBA.,…

Tian Peng posing.

Oct. 13, 2022

Peng Tian

Tian has an extension appointment in plant disease diagnosis. His responsibilities include management of Plant Diagnostic Clinic at University of Missouri and participation in Missouri Integrated Pest Management program and National Plant Diagnostic Network. His extension program provides identification services of plant disease, weed and insect as well as disease management recommendations to growers, agricultural professionals, agribusinesses, and the various commodity groups in the state. His research program focuses on identification of new plant diseases and development of innovative assays to characterize and differentiate viral and fungal pathogens in specialty crops to address current plant health problems and ensure the…

Aug. 16, 2021

Kantha Channaiah

Educational background Ph.D., Kansas State University…

Kirbu Krishnaswamy

April 4, 2019

Kiruba Krishnaswamy

Krishnaswamy is an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Food Systems Engineering at the University of Missouri, Columbia. She has a joint appointment in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and the Division of Food, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences. Her research program Food Engineering and Sustainable Technologies integrates convergence sciences with engineering principles to address the interconnected challenges of food and nutrition security. She uses a circular food systems approach to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Krishnaswamy obtained her B.Tech. in Food Process Engineering from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. She obtained the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship for her graduate…

Feb. 20, 2019

Bill Folk

Educational background Ph.D. Biochemistry, Stanford University Courses taught School of Medicine Preclinical Courses Honors College Colloquia Undergraduate Research Courses…

Portrait of Robin Rotman

Sep. 27, 2018

Robin M. Rotman

Educational background J.D. Law, Yale Law School, 2009 M.S. Water Science, Policy, and Management, Oxford University, 2005 B.S. Geology, Sewanee: The University of the South, 2004…

Portrait of Kerry Clark

Feb. 27, 2018

Kerry Clark

Kerry Clark was a soybean breeder from 1993-2012 and continues to work on the Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab, which is trying to improve soybean yields and production across sub-Saharan Africa. She runs a mechanization development and fabrication training team that includes three equipment designers from Ghana. This team has trained over 200 manufacturers in 12 African countries and has helped build service provision businesses so that small-holder farmers can have access to modern farming methods. Clark is also part of a multi-state collaboration working to improve available cover crop varieties for U.S. farmers. She teaches soil pedology, genesis,…

Pat Westhoff

Feb. 26, 2018

Patrick Westhoff

Westhoff is the director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) and a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Missouri. He grew up on a small dairy and hog farm in northeast Iowa. After getting his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Iowa, he served as Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala.   He has a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Iowa State University. From 1992-1996, he was an economist with the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, where…

Portrait of Walter Gassmann

Jan. 9, 2018

Walter Gassmann

Gassmann received his Ph.D. from UC San Diego in 1996 researching plant membrane transporters in the lab of Dr. Julian Schroeder. As a post-doctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Brian Staskawicz, UC Berkeley, he cloned and characterized RPS4, one of the founding members of the Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor – Nucleotide Binding Site – Leucine-Rich Repeat (TNL) class of plant innate immune receptors, that recognizes the presence of the bacterial effector protein AvrRps4. His lab at MU, which he started as an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Microbiology & Pathology in 2000, cloned the second antibacterial receptor of the…