Neal Stewart joined the University of Tennessee in June 2002 assuming the Racheff Chair of Excellence in Plant Molecular Genetics. His laboratory is housed in the new state of the art Plant Biotechnology Building. Research spans the biosafety of transgenic plants, phytosensor research and development, to genomics, with recent interest on the genomics of weedy plants. Our group values diverse plant biotechnology research to deliver a combination of researcher-, and mission-driven outcomes. Of special current interest is switchgrass biotechnology research. The Stewart lab is a key group for genetic transformation of switchgrass in the Bioenergy Science Center (BESC), a DOE funded bioenergy center (http://bioenergycenter.org/). We are interested in decreasing recalcitrance of cell wall breakdown and environmental sustainability. Extremophyte and weedy plant genomics. In conjunction with the 1000 Plants Initiative http://alberta.ca/home/NewsFrame.cfm?ReleaseID=/acn/200811/2475592E5F382-B4A5-7B90-D0E37ED2E1ACCB0C.html we have collected a list of plants that will have their transcriptomes sequenced to the 1 Gbp level beginning summer 2009 through 2010.  Go here for the current draft list of species: Graduate students and self-funded postdoctoral fellows are invited to apply.   Stewart lab people within a demonstration switchgrass plot on the University of Tennessee campus October 2008.  The Plant Biotechnology Building is in the background. Click on photo for a larger view.