Allison standing next to her 64-vine experimental research plot at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

I recently had the chance to visit Saint Louis University researcher Allison Miller at her site in the Missouri Botanical Garden to learn more about her project. Cofactor Genomics and the Miller lab are teaming up on a large RNA-seq project to address the genetic responses of two different species of grapevine, V. riparia and V. rupestris, to environmental stress. Interested in understanding how the grapevines react to both temperature and precipitation extremes, Dr Miller’s work addresses important basic science questions as well as implications for economically important wine grapes grown around the world.

Dr. Miller chose to work with Cofactor, because in her eyes, Cofactor “is the only company that offers the combination of expertise in experimental design, RNA extraction, cDNA library preparation, Illumina sequencing, and data analysis through a unique, in-house analysis software offered only to customers.”

Missouri Botanical Garden photo intern and Webster University undergraduate Rebecca Hensiek recently completed a short photo essay describing the research vineyard at the garden.

We’re excited to be working with Dr. Miller on her project, enabling her to advance her work addressing a globally important crop and crucial environmental research.