Q&A: Are plants the key to solving energy and food crises worldwide?

Costas Maranas, Robert V. & Gloria H. Waltemeyer Chair and Donald B. Broughton Professor of Chemical Engineering at Penn State, is developing computer models and algorithms to help scientists better understand, analyze and redesign biological organisms, including plants. In this Q&A, Maranas discussed how recent breakthroughs in modeling, artificial intelligence and systems biology are accelerating their work, helping plant scientists better understand and repurpose plants into fuel, plastics an