KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – North Carolina State is adding two researchers to the staff of its Plants for Human Health Institute at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis.

The additions will boost the staff size to seven. NCSU plans to employ 14 researhers at the plants institute. The focus of their efforts will be to research how fruits and vegetables improve human health and also work to breed better varieties of produce.

Dr. Slavko Komarnytsky will focus on pharmacogenomics and Dr. Xu “Sirius” Li on metabolic pathway engineering. Komarnytsky received a Ph.D. in cell and molecular plant biology from Rutgers University. Li earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Iowa State University.

“The addition of these two researchers will further strengthen and expand our research focus,” said Dr. Mary Ann Lila, director of the Plants for Human Health Institute. “They each bring expertise that will complement our current faculty efforts. Their work will help us discover the specific health-enhancing characteristics of plants as well as enhance our work in individualized nutrition.”

The institute’s overall staff currently includes five faculty, 22 postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and staff plus 10 extension outreach faculty and staff.

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