About IPG’s Work
The IPG is a community of 53 faculty-led research teams representing three colleges – Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Arts and Science, and Engineering – as well as the School of Medicine and the USDA-ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit. Within these units, five academic divisions/departments are actively engaged in the IPG: Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Electrical Engineer and Computer Science, Natural Resources, and Plant Science and Technology. Several members of the IPG hold joint appointments with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (DDPSC) in St. Louis, Missouri.
Programatic Strengths
- Genetic diversity
- Maize and soybean genetics and biotechnology
- Arabidopsis genetics and molecular biology
- Phylogenomics and evolutionary biology
- Developmental mechanisms
- Cellular signaling
- Hormonal regulation
- Carbon partitioning
- Seed composition and nutritional quality
- Plant stress biology
- Biotic stresses (insect and microbe)
- Abiotic stresses (drought, flooding, heat, heavy metals)
- Root biology
- Computational biology
CAFNR Program of Distinction
The University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) has numerous existing research, teaching and extension programs that are nationally and internationally recognized.
To highlight the recognized strength of existing and future programs, CAFNR has established criteria for Programs of Distinction, a select collection of programs that exemplify CAFNR’s drive to distinction.
CAFNR’s Programs of Distinction, together with academic programs, define the college’s current impact on Missouri’s agriculture and natural resource economies, providing understanding for how CAFNR is addressing challenges facing Missouri agriculture and natural resources.
A Tradition of Discovery
Annual Symposium
Every spring, the IPG brings together approximately 25 of the world’s leading experts on a particular topic in plant biology to present their research over a two-and-a-half day period. Symposia topics are chosen to reflect areas of active research, and speakers are chosen to ensure that topics are addressed broadly.
The goal is to provide a forum and platform that promotes cross-disciplinary interactions, networking, and an exchange of ideas. The 2025 symposium “Root Biology VI” will be held May 20 – 23, 2025.