Cornell Hemp Webinar Series: Expanding the NPGS Collection and Supporting Hemp Industry Development
David Gang, Washington State University
February 21, 2024 | 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (EST)
Dr. David Gang is a Professor at the Institute of Biological Chemistry at WSU, as well as the Director of WSU’s Center for Cannabis Policy, Research, and Outreach. Dr. Gang received Bachelor’s degrees in Botany-Molecular Biology and German Literature from Brigham Young University in 1994 and PhD in Plant Physiology/Biochemistry from Washington State University in 1999. His post-doctoral work in Plant Genomics/Evolution was with Eran Pichersky at the University of Michigan until 2000. He was then a Research Investigator at the University of Michigan until the end of 2001 when he moved to The University of Arizona as an Assistant Professor. After achieving the rank of Associate Professor with tenure at The University of Arizona, he moved back to WSU to join the faculty in 2009. He also served several years as the Chief Science Officer for a small start-up company, Botanisol LLC. He has served as the President of the Phytochemical Society of North America as well as on the executive boards of other international scientific societies, including currently Groupe Polyphenols.
Dr. Gang is a well-known world expert on medicinal compound identification and production within plants, particularly of plants from the mint and ginger families and from ancient plants, although he spends a lot of his time now working on hemp (Cannabis sativa) and marine microbes for their bioactive and industrial activities. His research uses modern approaches (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.) to investigate the structure, organization, and regulation of metabolism within plants and other organisms (including some important insect pests and marine microbes).
Dr. Gang is dedicated to improving the human condition on this planet by increasing food availability and nutritional quality while reducing costs of production by better understanding how plants make the important bioactive compounds that they do and using that knowledge to improve plant properties, as well as by better understanding how plants interact with the environment. He and his wife Darcy have been married for 32 years, and they are the parents of 7 children, 6 of whom are in college, graduate school, or have entered the workforce, and the youngest is still at home. They have four grandchildren. When not actively engaged in his research, Dr. Gang enjoys scuba diving, hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, cabinet making, and woodworking, as well as modern board/strategy games.
Although hemp has holds great promise as a biomaterials, bioenergy and bioproducts plant, there are still several significant gaps in its industrial development in the US, and particularly in the Pacific Northwest. These include stable varieties bred for high performance under diverse local environmental conditions, a clear understanding of the genetics of key traits of industrial interest, establishment of appropriate processing facilities, and establishment of stable markets for specific product applications, among others. Hemp research at Washington State University over the past 4 years has worked to address these issues. The role that WSU plays in national germplasm development and national variety evaluation will be outlined. Implications from results from these efforts related to development of the hemp industry in the western US will be discussed. Also, an overview of efforts to build international connections and collaborations (and what we can learn from other nations, particularly France that has maintained a vibrant fiber hemp industry) will be discussed as well. Finally, current policy issues (national, international, some regional) that affect the hemp industry will be discussed as well.
Registration required. Register now.
Registering once signs you up for the entire series.
Those who register will receive the Zoom link prior to each webinar.
Hemp Webinar Series Schedule
Subject to change
- Mar 6: Climate Smart Hemp – Babu Valliyodan, Lincoln University
- Mar 20: Fiber Quality Analysis – Wayne Swink, USDA-ARS Chris Delhom Lab
- Apr 3: Weed Management – Lynn Sosnoskie, Cornell University
- Apr 17: Agronomic Practices: Effect on Quality, Yield and Processing – Stefano Amaducci, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- May 1: Feral Germplasm and Genetic Diversity – Shelby Ellison, University of Wisconsin
The webinars will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. EST via Zoom.
If you miss one of our sessions or want to watch a session again, you can find recordings on our 2024 Cornell Hemp Webinar YouTube playlist.