Li Tian

Education: 

• Ph.D., Michigan State University; Plant Biology, 2003

Research interests and expertise: 

Phytonutrient biochemistry and physiology; Biosynthesis, accumulation and function of carotenoids and polyphenols in plants; Targeted improvement of crop phytonutrient composition and content for enhanced nutritional and medicinal values.

Current projects: 

• Vitamin A Biofortification of Wheat Grains Using a TILLING Mutant-Based Approach, USDA-NIFA AFRI
• Elucidating the genetic pathways involved in shikimate, anthocyanin and hydrolyzable tannin accumulation in pomegranate, US-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD)

Current teaching: 

• Plants and Society; PLS/SAS 012 (fall quarter)
• Medicinal Plants around the World; FYS003 (fall quarter)
• Plant Biochemistry; PLB/MCB 126 (winter quarter)

External activities that contribute to scholarship

• President, Phytochemical Society of North America
• Member of Advisory Committee, Campus Mass Spec Facility

Google Scholar 

ORCID

Keywords:

• Plant biochemistry
• Plant specialized metabolites
• Plant natural products
• Phytonutrients
• Hydrolyzable tannin
• Polyphenols
• Flavonoids
• Carotenoid
• Provitamin A
• Pomegranate
• Wheat
• Potato
• Tomato
• Arabidopsis