PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (June 9, 2023) — A team of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) researchers committed to combating the global population’s micronutrient deficiency have been awarded $600,000 by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grant will support the advancement of a project called the “Enhanced Production of Beneficial Secondary Metabolites in Specialty Crops: Elucidating the Role of Agriculturally Relevant Metallic Oxide Nanoparticles.”

The goal of this interdisciplinary project – led by Laura Carson, Ph.D., a research scientist in PVAMU’s Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC), and her team of investigators from PVAMU and Texas A&M University – is to enhance the nutritional value in edible leafy green vegetables necessary to overcome “hidden hunger” (the presence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies) using metallic-based nanoparticles.

Global issues such as climate change and the growing world population pose a threat to food security and public health due to projected food shortages. Because staple crops are often deficient in micronutrients and essential vitamins, scientists are exploring ways to boost human health. Plants, like mustards and amaranth, have been studied for essential plant metabolites that can contribute to a healthy and balanced diet. And while nanotechnology is being utilized more in agriculture, insight for their role in enhancing beneficial metabolites and the underlying mechanisms is lacking.

Laura Carson, Ph.D., research scientist

“PVAMU shares the USDA’s dedication to supporting research that explores cutting-edge solutions to prevalent, global challenges,” said PVAMU Vice President of Research & Innovation Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., P.E., MBA. “Dr. Carson and her team’s innovative approach to addressing hidden hunger underscores our collective commitment to enhancing the health of our communities and, simultaneously, developing the next generation of passionate scientists.”

This project will allow PVAMU students to engage in interdisciplinary, high-impact practices centered on hypotheses-driven research and experience hands-on research and professional development opportunities.

Collaborating with Dr. Carson on the project is PVAMU research specialist Addisie Geremew, Ph.D., who Dr. Carson says was “instrumental in developing the ideas and project.” Additional Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) include PVAMU Professor and Chair of Plant and Environmental Sciences Aruna Weerasooriya, Ph.D., Texas A&M University Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Xingmao “Samuel” Ma, Ph.D., and Virender Sharma, Ph.D., Director of the Program on Environment and Sustainability at Texas A&M. PVAMU Postdoctoral Researcher Eric Obeng, Ph.D., PVAMU Research Specialist Selamawit Woldesenbet, Ph.D., PVAMU Professor and Research Scientist Richard Griffin, Ph.D., and PVAMU Professor of Biology Gloria Regisford, Ph.D., are also collaborators.

Dr. Carson expressed her deep appreciation for “the ongoing efforts of my team,” and said that “as a community of scientists, we must think more broadly in our approaches to solving real-life challenges and further provide an opportunity to a community of young investigators, our students, who can make significant contributions toward providing healthy, nutritious food for our communities, our country, and the world.”