Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

This week we're spotlighting Douglas Allen, PhD, a Principal Investigator here at the Danforth Center!

Doug grew up on a farm, where he showed and judged livestock and soil quality competitively as a kid. Now his lab studies the metabolic networks inside plants, using isotope labeling and computational modeling to trace exactly how crops convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into the proteins, oils, and carbohydrates we depend on.

The goal: better-designed crops that can meet the needs of a growing population amid environmental challenges. His lab's work spans soybean, canola, camelina, and other oilseed and photosynthetic systems.

Doug is deliberate about the culture he builds in his lab, seeing community as critical to advancing research. He believes strong communication, independent thinking, and problem-solving are just as essential as technical training.

"I'm motivated by studies that can give us insights to how plants work at a mechanistic level," Doug says. "The thought that we may explain something in the lab that no one else has figured out is awe-striking and worthy of the effort."

Want to learn more about Doug and his lab's research? Check out his full profile at the link in comments.