News & Updates
January 2025 - We are thrilled to announce that Ryo Yokoyama and Kyle Paddock will join our lab in early 2025. Welcome to both of you!
Ryo will join us in mid-February as a PFFIE Postdoctoral Fellow, while Kyle has recently been awarded a NIFA USDA Postdoctoral Fellowship and will join us in early-May.
December 2024 - Our latest research has been published in New Phytologist: "Major facilitator family transporters specifically enhance caffeyl alcohol uptake during C-lignin biosynthesis."
C-lignin is a unique homopolymer of caffeyl alcohol that can be more easily depolymerized and processed compared to other lignin types. Our team in identified two transporters, PLT3 and SUC1, that specifically facilitate the uptake of caffeyl alcohol in plant cells. This research provides new tools for optimizing lignin composition in plants, and to explore new plant-based solutions for a sustainable future. Download the manuscript here.
October 2024 - Our collaborative proposal, "Engineering Plants and Algae as Dye-Free Alternatives to Fossil-Based Textiles" has been selected for funding through the Scialog Program Initiative. The proposal was supported by a joint funding effort, with contributions from The Kavli Foundation and Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA).
Our research team involves the labs of Helen Zha (RPI) and Loretta Roberson (MBL) and will focus on using genetic engineering approaches in plants and algae to develop biomaterials as alternatives to traditional fossil-based textile production. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting project!
July 2024 - We have received funding for a Large-Scale Research project from the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a DOE user facility sponsored by the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.
This grant provides us with two years of access to EMSL's world-class expertise and tools to study lignin biosynthesis with subcellular resolution and its role in stress tolerance and carbon sequestration in sorghum. The project kicks off on October 1, 2024!
July 2024 - Jaime will be presenting our lab's latest research study at the 2024 Lignin Gordon Research Conference in Easton, Massachusetts.
Speaker at Lignin GRC 2024. July 15, 11:25 AM - Jaime Barros-Rios "Clinal variation in lignin composition among natural poplar variants" (Session: Lignin Biosynthesis and Biotechnology)
June 2024 - Weiwei receives the MU Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG) Travel Award to present her research project at the ASPB Plant Biology 2024 Meeting in Hawaii. Enjoy Honolulu, Weiwei!
Speaker at Plant Biology 2024. June 25, 4:50 PM @ Room 313 - Weiwei Zhu "Climatic factors shape the natural wood properties of poplar trees" (Biochemistry I: Metabolic biochemistry session)
April 2024 - Rachel's research project has been selected for 2-year funding through the Mizzou Forward Undergraduate Research Training Grant. Congrats, Rachel!
March 2024 - Jaime has been elected Scialog Fellow. This 3-year initiative begins in September 2024 and is co-exponsored by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Kavli Foundation.
Click here for more information.
March 2024 - Our paper in collaboration with the Park Lab has been submitted to bioRxiv.
If you are interested click the link here.
February 2024 - Vadivelmurugan Irulappan has joined the lab as a joint post-doc between the Fritschi & Barros Laboratories!
October 2023 - Jaime has been formally appointed to serve on the Education Committee of the American Society of Plant Biologists from 2023-2027.
October 2023 - Our review on Modeling Lignin Biosynthesis has been published on Trends in Plant Science!
August 2023 - Images from our lab featured in this years Science2Art program hosted by BioNexusKC
Science2Art is a platform for regional scientists to display and describe their research through the visual arts. The images were selected by the curator at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibition will be open to the public from September 6th to October 4th at Linda Hall Library in Kansas City, MO. For more information on the event and program: Science2Art
August 2023 - Weiwei Zhu has officially joined the lab!
Weiwei obtained her doctoral degree from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in January 2023.
July 2023 - Our lab has received funding from the United Soybean Board
In collaboration with the Fritschi lab at Mizzou, and researchers at North Dakota State University, Purdue University and Auburn University, we have received funding from the United Soybean Board to investigate the impact of root anatomy, biochemical composition, and microbe associations on optimal nutrient and water uptake in soybean production. The project is set to launch on September 1, 2023.
July 2023 - Jaime has been promoted to Assistant Professor
May 2023 - Rachel Weber's poster awarded at the 2023 IPG Symposium!
May 2023 - Max Bentelspacher Joins the Lab
Max is a graduate of Mizzou with a BS. in Plant Science.
May 2023 - Dani Gafford has graduated with honors!
March 2023- Rachel Weber receives the Cherng Summer Scholarship
The Cherng Summer Scholars program is a scholarship for incoming freshmen who have achieved high academic standards. In addition to financial benefits, Cherng Scholars also have the opportunity to network with other high-achieving students and to learn from experienced faculty members. They also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, such as research, internships, and study abroad. This initiative is made possible through the support of Peggy and Andrew Cherng and the Panda Charitable Foundation. To learn more about Rachel's research project click here and here.
December 2022 - The Barros Lab officially launches in September 2023
Our lab is part of the Division of Plant Science & Technology and the Interdisciplinary Plant Group at the University of Missouri. We are actively recruiting and welcome highly motivated postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, and graduate and undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in plant molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics, or related fields. If interested, please contact Jaime at Jaime.Barros@missouri.edu and include a CV and three references.
October 2022 - Rachel Weber Joins the Lab
Rachel is a freshman in Biochemistry and joined the lab through the undergraduate program Freshmen Research in Plants (FRIPS) program. The FRIPS Program is a research program for new college students to explore plant biology and consider a research career in plant biology.
September 2022 - Dani Gafford Joins the Lab
Dani is a senior student majoring in Biological Sciences and joined the lab funded by the program Bioinformatics in Plant Sciences (BIPS) program. The undergraduate program pairs plant science or biology majors with computer science or engineering majors.
August 2022 - Jaime joins the PFF faculty program at Mizzou
The Preparing Future Faculty – Faculty Diversity (PFFFD) Postdoctoral Program helps scholars develop the skills and experience they need to become tenure-track faculty members. The primary goal of this program is to recruit exceptional postdoctoral scholars to retain in tenure-track faculty positions at Mizzou.