About the Institute
The North Carolina State University Fruit and Vegetable Science
Institute is part of an integrated effort across the North Carolina
Research Campus to adapt emerging technologies for plant
improvement and human health benefits. The Institute, which will be
staffed by the N.C. State University College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences, will develop a new generation of fruits and vegetables with
superior nutritional and horticultural characteristics. Researchers will
use the most advanced scientific tools to provide new insights into
cellular processes, then translate these breakthroughs through
genomics and plant breeding into plants with desired traits. The
Institute offers an exciting opportunity to complement and expand the
N.C. State University mission to benefit the social and economic well
being of the people of North Carolina, the nation and the world.
The Institute will play a key role in the larger vision of David Murdock
for the North Carolina Research Campus. Much of the work of faculty
from other universities will focus on nutrition, determining optimal
nutritional characteristics for various fruits and vegetables. College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty will work with this information to
develop plants that meet nutritional requirements and will determine
how best to produce those plants commercially. Plant breeding will be a
pivotal part of the effort. N.C. State University already has active
breeding programs for blueberries, strawberries, brambles and sweet
potatoes. In addition, the Institute will develop a breeding program for
leafy vegetables such as lettuce.
Read More
- NC State Will Lead Research at New 'Biopolis' Institute
Sept. 12, 2005
NC State University press release
- Stacking the Systems Bio Building Blocks
Results magazine, NC State University
- College Will Have Major Role in Dole Plan
Perspectives magazine, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
NC State University - As NC Research Campus Grows, so does College's Role
Perspectives magazine, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
NC State University - Big Name Coming to Campus
The Salisbury Post - Murdock School for Girls to Team Up with N.C. Research Campus
Concord Independent-Tribune - Campus Shines at Summit
Salisbury Post - Murdock Endows Research Campus Faculty Positions
Independent Tribune - NC State Offering Seminar on Plants
Salisbury Post - NCRC News Molecule: Farmer's Market
Salisbury Post
Focus
- Our core focus, in collaboration with other universities, is nutrition and human health.
- NC State Research Faculty will determine optimal nutritional characteristics for various fruits and vegetables.
- Work with nutritional information to develop plants that meet the nutritional requirements.
- Determine how best to produce plants commercially.
- Work to Increase the yield of vegetable crops in diverse growth environments while at the same time improving nutritional quality.
- Continue to train the next generation of plant breeders.
- Work with geneticists who have developed many of the basic biological and statistical tools for mapping genes that influence horticulturally important traits to devise genetic systems for avoidance of plant diseases and insects, reducing farmers' dependence on pesticides.
- Use state-of-the art facilities to determine protein structures that mediate growth, resistance and nutrient production, and for molecular imaging of cellular function.
Jobs
NC State envisions the creation of about 60 new jobs within the Fruit and Vegetable Science Institute, including 12 new faculty research positions, multiple extension associate positions and administrative and operational specialists. In addition, several graduate students and post-doctoral researchers will be located at the North Carolina Research Campus. For more information on placement postings, please visit http://www.ncsu.edu/jobs regularly.