Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
(N/A)
LINCOLN,NE 68583
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The ISPL is a platform for the presentation of the most exciting research in plant lipid science in all regions of the world, while the ICC will, for the first time, assemble international researchers working on the emerging oilseed crop camelina. These complementary conferences are highly relevant to AFRI Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products (A1103) program as they will advance knowledge of high-value lipidic compounds, including fatty acids, triacylglycerols, isoprenoids, and waxes that are important for food and feed products and bio-based materials, including sustainable fuels. USDA-NIFA funding will facilitate achievement of ISPL and ICC objectives of promoting open discussion of critical research questions, sharing of resources, and building collaborations that advance fundamental and translational research. USDA NIFA funding will in particular promote scientific training and career advancement of students, postdoctoral associates, and other early career researchers, including those from underserved communities. Through high quality programs and inclusive environments, ISPL and ICC will advance scientific knowledge and training needed to promote the bioeconomy and address US and global agricultural grand challenges of climate change and sustainabiltiy.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The 26th International Symposium on Plant Lipids (ISPL) and 1st International Camelina Conference (ICC) will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on July 14-19 and July 19-20, 2024, respectively. This project will providepartial support (registration and partial travel/lodging expenses) for 8 invited speakers (4 at ISPL and 4 at ICC) and 26 trainees and early career researchers (16 at ISPL and 10 at ICC) to attend and present their findings at these conferences.The major goals of the ISPL and ICC are:ISPL goals:Promote open discussion of critical questions in plant lipid research, including plant biochemistry, cell biology, metabolic regulation, lipid signaling, and lipid function.Offer background and opportunities for trainees and junior investigators to gain familiarity with the fields of plant lipid research and their applications.Promote networking among scientists and trainees across the plant lipid physiology, biochemistry, and biotechnology scientific communitiesEncourage discussion of new paradigms that challenge long-held views of lipid metabolism.Provide a platform to stimulate international collaboration, and the continued development of research consortia to advance plant lipid biology and biotechnology.Inspire interaction and discussion leading to advances in oilseed crop production management, quality, and quantity.ICC goals:For the first-time, bring the camelina community of international experts, researchers, and industry representatives together at one meeting to share ideas and advance collaborative science across borders.Identify barriers that limit wider production of camelina and propose research strategies and investments required to develop camelina as an alternative oilseed crop for sustainable bio-based products and biofuels in diverse agroecosystems.Promote growth of the camelina research community by providing a constructive and welcoming environment for all contributors, including graduate students and early career investigators.Promote new interactions and collaborations and resource sharing to advance camelina research and end-use applications.Challenge the camelina community to think critically to identify new science ambitions for camelina genomics, metabolism, agronomy, and end uses.
Project Methods
The ISPL program will include ten sessions that encompass the breadth of fundamental and translational research in plant lipid biology and biochemistry. The session topics were chosen in consideration of plant production of fatty acidsde novoin plastids and the distinctive lipid biosynthetic pathways in plastids and the endoplasmic reticulum. Topics will also cover pathways contributing to the formation of membranes whose composition influences lipid signaling and contributes to abiotic and biotic stress resistance. ISPL presentations will also highlight lipid trafficking within and among cells. These will include research on the major flow of photosynthetic carbon in leaves, stems, and fruits directed toward the production of long-carbon chain waxes and cutin that transit to the outside of cells and tissues to provide barriers for water loss and insect and microbial pathogenesis. In addition, ISPL will include sessions focused on fundamental and translational research on triacylglycerol (TAG) metabolism and deposition in cells. The final ISPL session will highlight the use of this knowledge to enhance TAG quantity and fatty acid composition in systems, including seeds and biomass, to address societal and commercial demands for seed oils in food, feed, and biofuel applications.Each session will include at least one invited keynote speaker. The keynote speakers are noted experts on the topic of each session and include some researchers who are experts on a given topic from outside of the plant lipid community. Our intention for inviting these experts is to broaden the research perspective of our community and to build linkages across systems in order to enhance the breadth and impact of plant lipid research.The ISPL will host poster sessions that will provide an opportunity for researchers to convey their recent findings in a more informal, one-on-one setting. Formal poster sessions will be scheduled for ISPL in the late afternoons of Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. All of the posters will be up for the entire meeting and presenters will alternate viewing and presenting their posters on Monday and Tuesday of ISPL.The ICC program is intended to address the central question: how do we translate camelina's potential into performance and profitability? This will be achieved through five sessions that explore policy and opportunities that affect camelina's production and profitability and research toward the development of genomic resources, breeding, cropping systems, environmental resilience, high-value seed traits, and emerging end-use markets that are needed to advance wider camelina production. Each session will include one or two keynote presentations by academic, government, and advocacy groups from around the world. Additional speakers in each session will be chosen from submitted abstracts that are selected by the Scientific Advisory and Organization Committees based on quality and relevance to the wider community. We will aim to have representation from diverse communities and geographic locations and also promote early career researchers in our selection of speakers. Two poster sessions will complement the oral presentations and offer additional opportunities to present and discuss diverse topics in camelina research and to build research collaborations. The ICC program will contain two additional sessions that we envision will promote wider and more collaborative camelina research. These sessions will include a roundtable led by a subset of our keynote speakers that will discuss community resources available for camelina research and best practices for sharing and dissemination. The second session will involve "lightning" two to five-minute presentations by investigators of funded camelina grants from around the world who will outline the concept and goals of these grants. These presentations will inform the community about the breadth of camelina research and opportunities for research collaboration and synergies. Coffee breaks, lunches, and poster viewing sessions will provide opportunities for collaborative research discussions and networking.?ICC poster sessions will be scheduled for the late afternoons of Friday and Saturday. All of the posters will be up for the entire meeting and presenters will alternate viewing and presenting their posters on Friday and Saturday. Light refreshments will be served during poster sessions.