Applied scientist Dr. Qingfang He, an associate professor in UALR’s College of Science and Mathematics, has received a $451,460 grant from the National Science Foundation for research aimed at developing biofuel plants that can thrive under harsh conditions.

The project is looking at how plants – specifically algae – respond to high light intensities and how they protect themselves when they are stressed during bright summers. The long-term goal is to develop species that can thrive under stress and continue to be productive.

“We are trying to identify and dissect the photoprotection mechanisms by isolating and characterizing algal mutants,” the professor said. “The studies will involve a diverse set of techniques, including genetics, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology.”

Algae, one of nature′s most prolific and efficient photosynthetic plants, was the source of the earth′s crude oil when algae bloomed millions of years ago, the professor explained. It is ideal as a renewable biofuel.

“Algae does not require arable land or potable water, and its main source of nutrient is CO2 and sunlight,” He said. “It can be grown quickly in salt water in the desert. Therefore, it is uniquely suited to serve as the foundation for a new generation of renewable and low-carbon fuels.”

“Plants and algae experience large variations in incident sunlight on a daily basis, and they often absorb more light energy than they are capable of using for photosynthesis,” he said. “The excessive light can cause photo damages, or bleaching, and loss of productivity.”

The photo damages, or light stress, are aggravated when plants and algae are met with other unfavorable conditions such as drought or high salinity. The UALR project seeks to understand how plants and algae protect themselves from intense light. That, in turn, can help scientists develop crop plants and algae that are able to thrive even under harsh environmental conditions.

“We hope to learn about the mechanisms or processes that plants and algae use to cope with excessive light,” he said. “If we understand these mechanisms, we can specifically tailor these processes in plants and algae by genetic engineering to achieve higher efficiency of photosynthesis, improving yield, and stress tolerance.”