Job Seekers 2025 | 39 North

Lisa Humphreys

Lisa Humphreys is a strategic communicator and brand advisor who has spent her career at the intersection of agriculture, sustainability, and global trade. For over a decade, she led communications for U.S. soybean farmers, building a global brand and fostering trust across the value chain - from family farms to international boardrooms. She recently served as Executive Producer of GroundBreaking, a documentary on A&E spotlighting ag innovation. Lisa now leads the Ag Comm Collective, a network of senior communicators helping organizations connect the dots between science, policy, and real-world impact. What drives her work is a deep belief that agriculture’s biggest breakthroughs happen when people truly understand each other.

Keywords

Strategic Communications || Agriculture Innovation || Sustainability || Brand Strategy || Stakeholder Engagement || Global Trade || Storytelling || Thought Leadership || Value Chain Marketing || Advisory Services

Dr. Zhine Wang

I am a postdoc researcher at St Louis University. My research focuses on how agricultural activities can change soil microbial diversity and functions, and how can soil microbiome can elevate soil health and productivity. The global overpopulation is imposing great challenges on the soil ecosystem. The application of synthetic fertilizers is not sustainable in the long term. Alternatively, soil microbes contain critical ecosystem functions that are often overlooked by traditional agricultural research. I am thrilled by the potential of my research on sustainable agriculture.

Keywords

Microbial Ecology || Sustainable Agriculture || Metagenomics || Agtech

Dr. Michael Pisias

I earned my Bachelor of Science degree from California State University Sacramento in Cellular and Molecular Biology. During my undergraduate studies I worked with Dr. Clayton Visger, studying polyploid plant systems, including Clarkia, and Humulus. In the Visger Lab, I collaborated on work cytogeospacial analysis using BioClim data, QGIS, and Maxent, for several Clarkia species across the North American west coast. I earned my PhD in Plant Sciences - Genetics, Genomics, and Plant Breeding with Dr. Bing Yang and Dr. J. Chris Pires at the University of Missouri. Through my PhD I have developed expertise in developing genome editing technology in model and non-model plant systems. My work focused primarily on various Brassica rapa subspecies, but also included Brassica oleracea, Cannabis sativa, and other Brassica species. I strive to push technological development towards alternative sources for food stability. I am eager to continue learning new skills and expanding my expertise.

Keywords

CRISPR || R Programming || Research & Development || Plant Sciences || Microbiology || Molecular Biology || Cellular Biology

Dr. Rishi Bhandari

I am a postdoctoral researcher specializing in genomics, environmental metagenomics, transcriptome analysis, and bioassay development in plants and insects. I am proficient in molecular biology techniques such as DNA/RNA extraction, library preparation, primer design, PCR, RT-qPCR, and restriction cloning. Additionally, I am skilled in machine learning, genome assembly, annotation, structural variation analysis, pangenomics, and high-performance computing using tools like Nextflow, Python, Bash, and R. I have experience leading research projects, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and thriving in diverse team environments with strong communication and adaptability skills.

Keywords

Gut Microbiome || Soil Microbiome || Plant Microbiome || Plant Health || Bioinformatics || Bacteriology || Genomics || NGS || Team Player

Tess Rogers

Tess Rogers is a Pivot 2 Plants Fellow at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, where she uses high-throughput phenotyping and image analysis to research maize responses to stress. She has experience in python-based image analysis in PlantCV, coordinated logistics for collaborative large scale experiments, and contributed to designs for preliminary field trials. Tess has a B.S.in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from University of Minnesota, and worked for nearly a decade as a zookeeper and intern coordinator at the World Bird Sanctuary. She has always loved research, and her career is aimed at finding new ways to better our use of the world to address issues such as food security and improve sustainability practices. High attention to detail, clear communication, efficiency, adaptability, and continual skill building are all key aspects of her work mentality. In December, she is looking for research technician or similar roles in industry and academia.

Keywords

Efficient || Communicative || Collaborative || Coachable || Data Analysis || Plant Phenotyping || Experimental Design || Research

Dr. Stewart Morley

Driven to help agtech lead the fight against climate change, I bring over a decade of experience in plant science with expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, mass spectrometry, drone imaging, and plant cultivation. I’ve studied holoenzymes in Arabidopsis and increased oil content in soybeans, and I now focus on using cover crops to create valuable revenue streams for farmers and leveraging soil microbiomes to boost yields while reducing synthetic fertilizer use. My goal is to turn innovative science into practical, profitable solutions that replace carbon-intensive practices and restore our planet for future generations.

Keywords

Driven || Flexible || Innovative || Micro & Molecular Biology || Mass Spectrometry || Cover Crops || Industry || Climate Change Sustainability

Dr. Ranjita Sinha

I am a Research Scientist at the University of Missouri, Columbia. My research focuses on understanding how plants respond to various stresses, both biotic and abiotic, in both field and laboratory settings. I have been studying the impact and molecular responses of stresses commonly found in crop fields, such as salt, heat, high light, drought, and their combinations on crops like soybean, and model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana. My research interest stems from the fact that abiotic stresses, even at lower doses, when they co-occur, create an adverse condition for plants, resulting in significant yield reduction. My excellent planning and execution of research projects, team management, and scientific writing skills have allowed me to publish several peer-reviewed research articles and reviews in esteemed journals. I have actively engaged with the scientific community and mentored several graduate students and undergraduates throughout my research career.

Keywords

Plant Physiology || Plant Molecular Biology || Genetic Engineering || Statistical Analysis || Teamwork || Problem Solving || Leadership, Collaborations || Outreach || Data Science

Dr. Dilkaran Singh

I have recently completed my PhD in plant biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where I used systems biology approaches to build a genetic blueprint for future crops capable of utilizing elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations more efficiently while requiring sustainable nitrogen inputs.

My interest in agricultural sciences began early, having grown up in a farming household in India. However, it was my undergraduate coursework in genetics that sparked my interest in genetic crop improvement. Thus, I pursued a career to understand plant mechanisms and their genetic basis, to contribute to the body of science that enables the development of resilient, high-yielding, and low-input crops—
thereby reducing food insecurity and promoting the sustainability of modern agricultural systems.

Beyond the social aspect of my work, I equally enjoy the problem-solving part of plant sciences and the thinking and execution involved at each step of the scientific method.

Keywords

Gene Regulation || Network Biology || Plant Models || Functional Genomics || Single-Cell Genomics || Sustainability || Crop-Diversification || Carbon-Nitrogen Metabolism || Abiotic-Stress-Tolerance ||

Antonio Brazelton

Antonio Brazelton is a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and serves as Senior Coordinator of Research Partnerships at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center in East St. Louis, Illinois. He holds a bachelor’s in Plant and Soil Science from Tuskegee University and a master’s in Plant Genetics from Iowa State University.

Antonio’s 16-year agricultural career bridges applied science and technological innovation. He began as a soil conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, partnering with farmers to implement sustainable land management practices. He later worked as an IT product manager at Bayer Crop Sciences, developing digital genomics tools for data-driven crop improvement.

Now a Ph.D. candidate at Washington University in St. Louis, Antonio's work is focused on plant breeding and genetics for food equity, focusing on root traits for urban and low-input agriculture. Outside of work, Antonio enjoys exploring parks, discovering new foods, and building Legos with his son, Benjamin.

Beyond the social aspect of my work, I equally enjoy the problem-solving part of plant sciences and the thinking and execution involved at each step of the scientific method.

Keywords

Community-Engagement || Plant Genetics || Food Equity || Software Development || Agricultural Innovation || Sustainable Systems || Mission Driven || Entrepreneurial

Sarah Fitzsimmons

As a Missouri native, my agricultural roots have driven my interest in how we can improve our food system and increase sustainability. I earned my BS in Agriculture at Truman State University and am nearing the end of my PhD in Biological Sciences at Mizzou. My current research aims to understand the genetic basis of free asparagine accumulation in maize grain, which is linked to the formation of a carcinogen during high-temperature cooking and is a central part of nitrogen metabolism. Using a multi-omics approach that includes genome and transcriptome-wide association studies, proteomics, and QTL mapping, I aim to uncover the genetic architecture underlying free asparagine accumulation. Beyond the lab, I’m passionate about science communication and outreach. I’m a proud Sigma Alpha alumna and currently serve as a research ambassador for the National Corn Growers Association. I’m seeking a collaborative, mission-driven team that values interdisciplinary work, outreach, and work-life balance.

Keywords

Quantitative Genetics || Corn, Applied Science || Food, Health/Nutrition || Sustainable Agriculture || Nitrogen || Outreach

Dr. Nga Nguyen

Dr. Nga T. Nguyen is a plant scientist specializing in molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and trait analysis that aim to enhance crop resilience and productivity. With 10 years of research experience, she developed projects focused on engineering nutrient transport pathways, identifying molecular targets for stress-tolerant plants, and optimizing proteomic & imaging workflows for plant trait validation. Transgenic seed lines developed from Dr. Nguyen’s projects were contributed to public research repositories to promote global scientific innovation. Driven by her research data, she collaborated with industry partners to validate commercial antibody products that have a high impact on agricultural studies. Dr. Nguyen is dedicated to applying her expertise to develop high-performing crops that tackle global food security and hidden hunger challenges.

Keywords

Trait Analysis || Molecular Cloning || Protein Enrichment || Nutrient Transport || Photosynthesis || Proteomic || Data Driven || Plant Regulation, Cross-Functional Communication