Monica Schmidt

Monica Schmidt is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, specializing in plant biotechnology and crop biofortification. Her research focuses on modifying lipid and protein composition in crops to enhance nutritional and therapeutic value. She has held roles including Senior Research Scientist at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and postdoctoral positions at the University of Georgia and USDA/ARS.

Education:

• BSc Biology, University of Windsor, Canada (1993)
• PhD Genetics, University of British Columbia, Canada (1999)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of Georgia (2003), USDA/ARS (2007)

Research Interests: Biofortification of crops, seed biology, nutraceuticals, and metabolic engineering. Her work integrates genomics, bioinformatics, and systems biology to enhance soybean and maize traits, including aflatoxin reduction, vitamin E enrichment, and protein content optimization.

Key Research Trends: Her recent publications emphasize CRISPR/Cas9 and RNAi technologies for crop improvement, aflatoxin mitigation, and transgenic soybean production of therapeutic proteins like EGF. Collaborations bridge plant science and medical applications, such as gene therapies for thalassemia.

Grants & Labs: Leads the Schmidt Laboratory, focusing on translational plant biotechnology. Research has led to patents on legume-based therapeutic protein production and aflatoxin-resistant maize.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Schmidt Laboratory at the University of Arizona, advancing crop engineering and functional foods.