Translational Plant Sciences Center
Training the next generation of scientists devoted to the discovery and application of the sustainable production of food, feed, and biomaterials
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Welcome to the Translational Plant Sciences Center at Virginia Tech! The Translational Plant Sciences Center (TPSC) is a community of researchers committed to advancing basic knowledge in the plant sciences and translating this knowledge into improved crop production. Supported by the Fralin Life Sciences Institute, the center provides unique career growth opportunities for affiliate faculty, graduate students, postdocs, undergraduate students, and alumni.
Our research is diverse, with locations that range from the atmosphere to the rhizosphere, at scales that range from cellular networks to ecosystems. What unites us is a sense of urgency that new tools are needed to ensure that global needs for food, feed and fiber will be met in an ecologically sustainable manner.
We believe that basic molecular research is an important component of this imperative, as are projects that translate new knowledge into practical solutions for sustainable agriculture. Such research requires interdisciplinary collaboration, and much of our research takes place in teams within and beyond Virginia Tech. We are also committed to training students for diverse career opportunities in academia, industry, agriculture, and government. These commonalities underpin a remarkably strong, cohesive community that spans six departments and three colleges.
Featured News
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Translational Plant Sciences Center sows seeds for new research , articleThe center recently awarded four projects seed grants of up to $10,000 a year for up to two years to support the development of innovative research leading to extramural support.
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Virginia Tech researchers awarded grant to increase understanding of industrial hemp , articleThe $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture also could increase profit and reduce risk for growers and advance further use of cannabinoids in medical treatments.
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Undergraduate students SURF into research this summer , articleNine undergraduate students were paired with Fralin Life Sciences Institute-affiliated faculty mentors for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, a 10-week training program designed to give motivated undergraduates full-time research experience that mirrors real-world graduate work.
Catalyzing leading-edge research in plant science