U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Global Change and Photosynthesis Research: Urbana, IL
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Urbana, Illinois Global Change and Photosynthesis Research People







Matthew  Brooks    Research Molecular Biologist The aim of research in the lab is to use a systems biology approach that combines genomics, phenotyping, and computational biology to understand how photosynthesis and nitrogen use are coordinated in plants. The three main objectives driving this work are to: Define the molecular factors involved in coordinating photosynthesis with nitrogen availability under diverse environmental conditions.
Identify natural genetic variation influencing crosstalk between photosynthesis and nitrogen use in plants with different metabolic pathways and growth strategies.
Bridge basic and applied research by transferring knowledge from data-rich model species to crops. Improving our understanding of how genetic and environmental factors influence the coordination of photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation will help identify strategies for improving crop production and reduce our dependence on nitrogen fertilizers. This is an important goal because fertilizer production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change will in turn impact photosynthesis and crop yield. At a fundamental level, this work will also contribute to understanding the basic principles underlying how cellular networks process complex environmental signals.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov