Dr. Albert Kausch is currently a Professor at the University of Rhode Island in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, with a research and educational focus on biotechnology. Dr. Kausch completed an MS and Ph.D. in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program at Iowa State University, and conducted his postdoctoral work on some of the first gene transfer methods to plants.
During that time, he conducted seminal research on chloroplast protein targeting in transgenic plants at The Rockefeller University in collaboration with Dr. Marc van Montague’s laboratory in Ghent, Belgium, resulting in the use of the transit peptide sequences for protein import to chloroplasts. The transit peptide research resulted in several hallmark patents and became required technology in several important commercial crops.
Dr. Kausch worked in the industry sector as a Senior Research Scientist for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and DeKalb Genetics Corp., and was part of the team that generated the first genetically modified fertile transgenic maize plants and contributed to several other innovative technologies including:
- The pioneering uses of magnetic nanoparticles and paramagentic beads for separation of biological materials, including cells, organelles, chromosomes, DNA, RNA, and proteins
- Drought tolerant maize
- Biofortification of maize with increased lysine levels
- Various molecular technologies and vectors
Dr. Kausch’s major career centrality has been focused on the genetic transformation biology of higher plants with a specialty focus on the cereal species. His research program concentrates on molecular improvement and trait gene discovery and analysis in grasses and cereal crops for basic and applied research purposes. He also conducts research on improved transgenic technologies in cereal crops, and has directed diverse research projects on corn, rice, sorghum, switchgrass, turfgrasses and other crop plants working to introduce traits including herbicide and insect resistance, drought tolerance and yield stability, nutritional improvement, gene regulation, transformation technology development, and others. His current research is on a Bioenergy and Renewable energy project in Sorghum funded by the DOE.
Dr. Kausch has authored or co-authored over 65 research publications and is an inventor or co-inventor on over 45 patents in fields of molecular and agricultural biotechnology.
He is also Founder and President of The New England Biophilia Institute (NEBI) which has developed three areas:
- The production and distribution of materials supporting OMO AR Driven science education at all levels, particularly with a biophilia thematic orientation
- Consulting, specializing in all areas of agriculture and innovative online science education
- Maintenance of a close relationship with the nonprofit Biophilia 501(c)(3), formerly known as Lifeedu, since 2003.
The first two areas constitute the for-profit space of the Institute. He has recently developed a significant program in OMO driven Science Education, Materials, Content, and Curriculum Development.
His creative works include three books of poetry, one novel, a play, and two children’s books.