Non Technical Summary
The relationship between plants and human health is governed by many factors including plant genetics, environment, and production/processing steps, as well as consumer genetics, diet, and cultural practices. There is a dearth of interdisciplinary studies on the interactions of these factors. Similarly, there is an under-developed pipeline of researchers to approach the topic of plants and human health in a comprehensive manner. Our proposal applies a novel systems-based approach to study the relationship between plants and consumers and develops a model for training of new scientists to lead this area of research. We will recruit a diverse cohort of PhD students, who will be coadvised by mentors with complementary disciplinary expertise. We will provide research training and professional development opportunities focused on improving communication, grant-writing, entrepreneurship, and mentorship skills. Our project collaborators help ensure our success with their combined expertise in food science, sensory science, plant science, soil science, ethnobotany, metabolomics, and toxicology. All project collaborators are currently involved in interdisciplinary research on food and medicinal plants. The fellows supported by this proposal will be leaders in academic, government, and industry research centers. Their interdisciplinary awareness of issues across the soils, plants, and consumers continuum will allow them to direct diverse teams of researchers focused on complex research questions, and will allow them to effectively communicate with a broad range of stakeholders and policy makers.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
206	0699	1060	20%
125	2220	1070	20%
502	1199	1010	20%
724	1199	3090	20%
123	0620	2061	20%

Knowledge Area
724 - Healthy Lifestyle; 206 - Basic Plant Biology; 125 - Agroforestry; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources; 502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
2220 - Medicinal crops, non-narcotic; 1199 - Deciduous and small fruits, general/other; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general; 0620 - Broadleaf forests of the North;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 3090 - Sensory science (human senses); 1070 - Ecology; 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism; 2061 - Pedology;

Goals / Objectives
Our goal is to applya novel systems-based approach to study the relationship between plants and consumers and to developa model for training new scientists to lead this area of research. We will recruit a diverse cohort of 3 PhD students, who will be coadvised by mentors with complementary disciplinary expertise. We will provide research training and professional development opportunities focused on improving communication, grant-writing, entrepreneurship, and mentorship skills. Our project collaborators will help ensure our success with their combined expertise in food science, sensory science, plant science, soil science, ethnobotany, metabolomics, and toxicology. All project collaborators are currently involved in interdisciplinary research on food and medicinal plants.

Project Methods
Effort #1:This training project will include classroom-based activities, professional and personal development workshops, field trips, and independent laboratory research.Evaluation #1:Progress will be evaluated using standard grading protocols, dissertation committee meetings, and knowledge and attitude surveys.Effort #2:In conducting their individual research, the students will use techniques from food chemistry, plant chemistry, soil chemistry, ethnobotany, plant genetics, agronomy, plant biology, biochemistry, sensory science, and pharmacology that are appropriate to address the major research questions of their dissertation projects.Evaluation #2:Progress will be evaluated using dissertation committee meetings, peer-reviewed research publications, presentations at scientific meetings, and completion and approval of a dissertation.