[IIGB_All] IIGB Seminar: Jing-Ke Weng- 1/16/26

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*Jing-Ke Weng*
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*Decoding the Chemical Language of Plants*


*       Date:* Friday, January 16

*          Time:* 12:00 pm-1:00pm

*             Location: *Genomics Auditorium 1102


*Abstract:*
Plants are nature's master chemists, synthesizing an immense diversity of
specialized metabolites with profound chemical complexity and
functionality. As sessile organisms unable to escape adverse conditions,
plants have evolved to use this sophisticated chemical language to
communicate with their abiotic and biotic environments, enabling their
success across diverse terrestrial ecosystems. Recent advances in genomics,
metabolomics, synthetic biology, and AI-based computational tools now
enable us to decode these intricate chemical communications with
unprecedented speed and depth. In this talk, I will present our integrated
multi-omics approaches aimed at unraveling specialized metabolic pathways
in non-model plants. Additionally, I will highlight our recent exploration
into how plant metabolites interact with the human gut microbiome and the
human immune system through bitter taste receptors, providing insights into
the roles these metabolites play in mediating inter-species interactions.
Ultimately, our goal is to decode the chemical language that plants use to
dynamically interact with their surrounding world, unlocking opportunities
to leverage and engineer these metabolites for advancements in human health
and sustainability.
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