JEAN S. VANDERGHEYNST, Associate Professor

Ph.D., Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, 1997
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
3040 Bainer Hall
Phone: 530-752-0989
Email: jsvander@ucdavis.edu

Current Research

Dr. VanderGheynst's research area is in Bioprocess Engineering and emphasizes agricultural and environmental biotechnology. Specific research areas in her lab include production of recombinant proteins in plant biomass and biologically based pest management. Dr. VanderGheynst and her students are collaborating with plant molecular biologists and biochemical engineers to develop transient expression systems that result in high recombinant protein concentrations while preventing release of transgenic material in the environment. In addition students are investigating extraction and purification of recombinant proteins from plants to aid in the design of downstream processes for plant derived proteins. Her biological control research addresses technical challenges associated with microbial (biocontrol) agent production, storage, and product delivery through the development of novel formulation methods tailored for optimal storage and controlled release upon delivery to the environment. She and her students also collaborate with plant pathologists and soil scientists to develop predictive models of pathogen inactivation and soil heating during soil solarization, and techniques to increase soil temperature so that soil solarization can be used as an alternative to methyl bromide fumigation.

Representative Recent Publications

Marshall, M. N., L. Cocolin, D. A. Mills, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2003. Evaluation of PCR primers for denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of fungal communities in compost. Journal of Applied Microbiology 95:934-948.

VanderGheynst, J. S., and L. Fei. 2003. Microbial community structure dynamics during aerated and mixed composting. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 46(2):577-584.

Akau, H. L., K. M. Miller, S. C. Sabeh, R. G. Allen, D. E. Block, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2004. Production of Botrytis cinerea for potential introduction into a vineyard. Bioresource Technology 92:41-48.

Marshall, M. N., A. P. Reddy, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2004. Microbial ecology of composting. Resource recovery and reuse in organic solid waste management. Edited by Lens, P., B. Hamelers, H. Hoitink and W. Bidlingmeier, IWA Publishing, pp. 193-221.

Ho, M. A., L. M. Squire, N. C. Sabeh, D. K. Giles, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2005. Design and evaluation of a grapevine pruner for biofungicide application. Bioresource Technology 96:963-968.

Joh, L. D., T. Wroblewski, N. N. Ewing, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2005. High-level transient expression of recombinant protein in lettuce. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 91(7):861-871.

Joh, L., K. McDonald, and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2006. Evaluating extraction and storage of a recombinant protein produced in agroinfiltrated lettuce. Biotechnology Progress. (In Press)

Joh, L. D., and J. S. VanderGheynst. 2006. Agroinfiltration of plant tissues for production of high-value recombinant proteins: an alternative to production in transgenic crops. Journal for Food Science and Technology. (In Press)

May, B., J. S. VanderGheynst, and T. Rumsey. 2006. The kinetics of Lagenidium giganteum growth in liquid and solid culture. Journal of Applied Microbiology. (In Press)

VanderGheynst, J. S., and H. B. Scher. 2006. Storage stable compositions for biological materials. US Patent Pending.

VanderGheynst, J. S., H. Scher, H.-Y. Gou, and D. Schultz. 2006. Invert emulsion formulations that improve the storage and delivery of Lagenidium giganteum for mosquito control. Biological Control. (In Press)

Membership in Professional Societies

American Chemical Society
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Tau Beta Pi

Courses Offered

EBS 125 - Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems
EBS 132 - Unit Operations in Biological and Food Engineering
EBS 160 - Biotechnical Systems Engineering
EBS 267 - Renewable Bioprocessing
MCB 263 - Biotechnology Fundamentals and Applications

Research Support

United States Department of Agriculture
American Vineyard Foundation
National Science Foundation