Chemical engineer Beth Sattely studies the intricate chemistry of plant life. Plants are more than food, she says: They are living chemical factories churning out molecules that help plants do everything from adapting to climate change to fighting infections – or even producing valuable new cancer drugs. Lately, Sattely’s lab is working on ways to make crops more resilient to engineer more sustainable foods and environments. Some of our most exciting technologies already exist in nature, we just have to find them, Sattely tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Beth Sattely, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University.
(00:03:10) Path to Plant Metabolism
How chemistry and gardening led to a career in plant science.
(00:03:54) Environmental and Human Health
Using plants to improve both the planet and people’s well-being.
(00:04:53) Engineering Climate-Resilient Crops
Making crops more sustainable and nutritious amid global change.
(00:05:58) Old vs. New Crop Engineering
Comparing traditional breeding with modern molecular tools.
(00:08:04) Industry and Long-Term Food Security
The gap between short-term market goals and long-term environmental needs.
(00:09:13) Tomato Chemistry
Tomatoes reveal how plants produce protective molecules under stress.
(00:12:26) Plant “Vaccines” and Immune Signaling
How plants communicate threats internally and mount chemical defenses.
(00:14:14) Citrus Greening and Limonoids
The potential role of limonoid research on citrus greening.
(00:16:59) Plants Making Medicine
How plants like Yew trees naturally produce cancer drugs like Taxol.
(00:21:19) Diet as Preventative Medicine
Identifying plant molecules to understand their preventative health effects.
(00:24:36) Food Allergies and Plant Chemistry
Why the immune system tolerates some foods and rejects others.
(00:26:42) Understanding Tolerance in Immunity
Possibility of reintroducing tolerance through partial molecular exposure.
(00:28:02) Engineering Healthier Plants
Potential for designing plants to enhance micronutrient content.
(00:29:04) Training the Next Generation
Beth celebrates her students’ role in shaping a sustainable future.
(00:30:39) Conclusion
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