Professor | Director, ACES Global Connect
Office Location
1021 Plant Sciences Laboratory, MC-634
1201 South Dorner Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217-333-5154
Email: imagemal@uiuc.edu
Education
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1984
M.S., University of Illinois, 1980
B.S., University of Illinois, 1978
Areas of Expertise
Biodiversity, Plant Biology, Plant Products, Food Crop Systems
Faculty member since 1984
How I got interested in this field
My work with pigmented crops in vitro and the novel ability to stimulate and control product accumulation in the tissues led to interaction with nutritional scientists in this area.
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Research Interests
My research team is focused on the isolation and characterization of bioactive components from highly pigmented fruits, medicinal herbs and their in vitro cell culture systems. She uses the cell culture models to rapidly, predictably accumulate the same phytomedicinal mixtures produced in the parent plants, but without many of the interferences that complicate recovery of active principles from plants. Most recently her lab team has accomplished effective 14C labeling of bioactive anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoid compounds from intensively-managed berry and grape cell cultures. The radiolabeled isolated compounds are then used in animal models to track the metabolic fate of certain phytochemicals and mixtures.
Other related activities
I have ongoing research projects in Egypt (Biotechnology Team Leader), the Former Soviet Union (Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan; Codirector of the Plant Associate Program and Director of Structural Chemistry Program), Australasia (New Zealand and Australia; on bioactive native pigments), Mexico (TIES Program on Functional Foods) and Jordan (Biotechnology Initiative). I was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholar award to conduct research in New Zealand in 1999, and have been back to Australasia at least once a year since then.
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Professional Affiliations
Society for In Vitro Biology (Past President; Fellow)
International Association of Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology (past National Correspondant)
American Society for Nutrition
Website
http://www.lilalab.com
Extension Programs
Other related activities - I have ongoing research projects in Egypt (Biotechnology Team Leader), the Former Soviet Union (Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan; Codirector of the Plant Associate Program and Director of Structural Chemistry Program), Australasia (New Zealand and Australia; on bioactive native pigments), Mexico (TIES Program on Functional Foods) and Jordan (Biotechnology Initiative). I was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholar award to conduct research in New Zealand in 1999, and has been back to Australasia at least once a year since then.
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