Dr. Sanju Sanjaya, who leads the Energy and Environmental Science Institute at West Virginia State University (WVSU), has received a substantial grant of $1,279,407 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This funding recognizes his innovative research on how plants create lipid droplets essential for producing vegetable oils. Improving this process could boost oil production, enhance the nutritional value of oilseed crops and support bioenergy efforts.
“This is a significant moment for WVSU as we celebrate our first Excellence in Research grant,” Sanjaya said. “Our goal is to tackle pressing challenges from climate change while creating valuable opportunities for our students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).”
Sanjaya leads the research project, “Dissection of the Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Lipid Droplet Abundance in Plants,” alongside WVSU collaborator Bagyalaskshmi Muthan and partners from Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. The team will use advanced genetics and molecular biology techniques to study a specific protein that plays a role in vegetable oil production.
This work will enhance scientific understanding, involve WVSU students in practical research within a plant biotechnology lab, and help them build skills in emerging fields like genomics and biotechnology.
For more information, please email Dr. Sanju Sanjaya at sanjaya@wvstateu.edu.