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OSU Scientist Meinke to Conclude Public Lectures in Science Series

ARDMORE, Okla. — The third and final presentation in the Noble Foundation’s 2002-2003 Public Lectures in Science series is set for Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. in the Foundation’s Kruse Auditorium.

Dr. David Meinke of Oklahoma State University will give a presentation titled "Arabidopsis: A Minor Mustard in the Major Leagues." Arabidopsis is a weed, commonly known as mouse cress, which changed the way scientists think about plants and genomes.

"Arabidopsis became famous because of its small set of DNA, or genome," said Marilyn Roossinck, a principal investigator in the Foundation’s Plant Biology Division and the coordinator of the lecture series. "The genome is like a blueprint, it contains all of the instructions for making the plant. The Arapidopsis genome was the first known blueprint of all the genes in a plant."

Since the genes in most plants are similar, this blueprint can often be applied to other plants that are more important to us, such as crop plants or plants that have medicinal value.

"It will help us understand and engineer plants to be better crop plants — more adapted to resist pests and disease — reducing environmental damage from dangerous pesticides," Roossinck added.

Meinke will also introduce the audience to the world of genomics, or understanding biology from DNA.

The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception. Parking is free at the facility.

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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

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