Roger N. Beachy
Encyclopedia
Roger N. Beachy is an American
biologist
and the founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
in St. Louis, Missouri.
. He became interested in plant biology as a high school student at Bethany Christian Schools
in Goshen, Indiana. He then completed his BA in biology from Goshen College
in Goshen, Indiana. Then, he completed his Ph.D. in plant pathology from Michigan State University
. He is a second cousin of Stanford biologist Philip A. Beachy
and historian Robert M. Beachy
, and is also a relative of author Stephen Beachy
.
from 1978 to 1991, where he was Professor and Director of the Center for Plant Science and Biotechnology. From 1991 to 1998, he headed the Division of Plant Biology at The Scripps Research Institute
, a leading biomedical research center in La Jolla, California. From January 1999 until October of 2009, he was the president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
in St. Louis, Missouri.
His research at Washington University in St. Louis
, in collaboration with Monsanto Company, led to the development of the world’s first genetically modified food crop
, a variety of tomato that was modified for resistance to virus disease. He demonstrated pathogen-derived resistance in plants and produce the first disease-resistant transgenic plant. He also showed that by transferring and expressing the coat protein gene of a virus in plants (coat protein-mediated resistance - CPMýR), these transgenic plants become resistant to viral infection. His discovery of the CPMR led to the development of virus-resistant varieties of potato, tomato, pepper, cucumber, squash, sugar beets, papaya and plum.
along with James E. Womack
of Texas A&M University
"for the use of recombinant DNA technology, to revolutionize plant and animal sciences, paving the way for applications to neighboring fields".
He is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
September 24, 2009 – Dr. Roger N. Beachy, the founding President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO, has been appointed the first Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) by President Barack Obama. Beachy will join the agency on October 5, 2009.
The mission of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is to stimulate and fund the research and technological innovations that will enhance and make American agriculture more productive and environmentally sustainable while ensuring the economic viability of agriculture and production. The Institute was developed as a result of a task force chaired by William H. Danforth and appointed by then Secretary of Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman. The Danforth Task Force recommended that Congress authorize the creation of NIFA as a way to strengthen agriculture research and to attract additional highly competitive research scientists to this field of endeavor. A growing program in competitive research grants will be a hallmark of the new agency.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and the founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit scientific facility located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Its main mission point is to "improve the human condition through plant science"....
in St. Louis, Missouri.
Birth, family and education
Roger N. Beachy was born in 1944 in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He became interested in plant biology as a high school student at Bethany Christian Schools
Bethany Christian Schools
Bethany Christian Schools is a private school for grades 4-12. The high school was founded in 1954, and was expanded to include a middle school in 1996. In the fall of 2011, Bethany began a 4th-5th grade combined class. Bethany is owned and operated by the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference...
in Goshen, Indiana. He then completed his BA in biology from Goshen College
Goshen College
Goshen College, is a private Mennonite liberal arts college in Goshen, Indiana, USA with an enrollment of around 1,000 students. The college is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities...
in Goshen, Indiana. Then, he completed his Ph.D. in plant pathology from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. He is a second cousin of Stanford biologist Philip A. Beachy
Philip A. Beachy
Philip Arden Beachy is Ernest and Amelia Gallo Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California and an Associate at Stanford's Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine....
and historian Robert M. Beachy
Robert M. Beachy
Robert Beachy is associate professor of history at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1998...
, and is also a relative of author Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy is a writer. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1965. His first novel, The Whistling Song, was published by W. W. Norton with cover illustrations by Curt Kirkwood in 1991 and his second, Distortion, by Harrington Park Press, in 2000 and was reprinted in December 2010 by Rebel...
.
Academic career
After completing his PhD, he became a member of the Biology Department at Washington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
from 1978 to 1991, where he was Professor and Director of the Center for Plant Science and Biotechnology. From 1991 to 1998, he headed the Division of Plant Biology at The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is an American medical research facility that focuses on research in the basic biomedical sciences. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, with a sister facility in Jupiter, Florida, the institute is home to 3,000 scientists, technicians, graduate students, and...
, a leading biomedical research center in La Jolla, California. From January 1999 until October of 2009, he was the president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit scientific facility located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Its main mission point is to "improve the human condition through plant science"....
in St. Louis, Missouri.
Research
Roger N. Beachy is an expert in plant virology and biotechnology of plants. He established principles for the genetic engineering of plants, that make them resistant to viral diseases.His research at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, in collaboration with Monsanto Company, led to the development of the world’s first genetically modified food crop
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
, a variety of tomato that was modified for resistance to virus disease. He demonstrated pathogen-derived resistance in plants and produce the first disease-resistant transgenic plant. He also showed that by transferring and expressing the coat protein gene of a virus in plants (coat protein-mediated resistance - CPMýR), these transgenic plants become resistant to viral infection. His discovery of the CPMR led to the development of virus-resistant varieties of potato, tomato, pepper, cucumber, squash, sugar beets, papaya and plum.
Awards and honors
Roger N. Beachy has received several awards and honors in his life. In 2001, he was awarded the Wolf Prize in AgricultureWolf Prize in Agriculture
The Wolf Prize in Agriculture is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics and the Arts...
along with James E. Womack
James E. Womack
James E. Womack is an American biologist and a professor at Texas A&M University.- Birth and education :James E. Womack was born in 1941 in the United States. He graduated with a BS in Mathematics Ed from Abilene Christian University in 1964...
of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
"for the use of recombinant DNA technology, to revolutionize plant and animal sciences, paving the way for applications to neighboring fields".
He is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
September 24, 2009 – Dr. Roger N. Beachy, the founding President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO, has been appointed the first Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) by President Barack Obama. Beachy will join the agency on October 5, 2009.
The mission of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is a U.S. Federal government body whose creation was mandated in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. It is intended to consolidate all federally-funded agricultural research, and will be subordinate to the Department of Agriculture...
(NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is to stimulate and fund the research and technological innovations that will enhance and make American agriculture more productive and environmentally sustainable while ensuring the economic viability of agriculture and production. The Institute was developed as a result of a task force chaired by William H. Danforth and appointed by then Secretary of Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman. The Danforth Task Force recommended that Congress authorize the creation of NIFA as a way to strengthen agriculture research and to attract additional highly competitive research scientists to this field of endeavor. A growing program in competitive research grants will be a hallmark of the new agency.