The new greenhouse on the campus of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is now named the Kathy L. Chan Greenhouse thanks to a recent gift from the Pei Ling Charitable Trust. Mrs. Chan and her husband, Tony, and son, David, serve as trustees of the Pei Ling Charitable Trust. Other funding for the Greenhouse was made possible from the state of Alabama as well as many private donations.

The greenhouse supports the sustainable agriculture research programs that HudsonAlpha’s Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture lead at the facility.

The Institute’s new facility opened in July, adding significant lab, teaching, and greenhouse space to propagate and grow research plants. HudsonAlpha’s Plant Center team aims to focus on advancing sustainability in a variety of globally significant crops, maximizing fuel production from plant biomass, and developing low-cost tools and genomic sequencing to link plant genes to desirable plant traits like drought tolerance.

kathy “Simply opening this facility is tremendously exciting for us because of what this building represents,” said HudsonAlpha President Neil Lamb, PhD. “Within these walls, scientific discoveries will unlock solutions to feed, fuel, and clothe our world. We are particularly appreciative of the Chan family’s support. They have a long and distinct history of supporting our mission and we couldn’t do something like this without them.”

The 14,000-square-foot glass greenhouse on the biotech campus is the only one of its kind in the U.S. It includes new top-of-the-line molecular laboratories and cutting-edge technological features, such as long-term seed storage, supplemental LED lighting, and HEPA air filters. The facility is home to seven glass grow rooms rising 15 feet in the air that each have the capacity to grow up to 500 plants in customized climates and lighting schedules. The greenhouse will also serve as a living teaching lab for Institute faculty, students, and the general public. The facility was inspired by the rapid growth of HudsonAlpha’s agriculture genomics program.

When asked of the overall feelings at HudsonAlpha, in light of such a generous donation, Adam Kelley, Director of Communications shared, “The feeling would be gratefulness. As a not-for-profit, we are reliant on community support to reach our mission.”

“Research and teaching conducted in the greenhouse will focus on advancing sustainability in a variety of crops, maximizing fuel production from plant biomass, reducing fertilizer use and reducing or eliminating fungicides to increase crop yields.”, Kelley explained.

The Pei Ling Charitable Trust was established in 1988 in honor of the elder Mr. Chan’s grandparents. As trustees, the Chans carry out the trust’s mission of making local, national, and global contributions in the areas of art and education. The Chans have been longtime supporters of HudsonAlpha.

“I think the scientists are going to produce something very amazing here that will improve the production of vegetables and grains,” Mrs. Chan said. “I believe it will help ease the world’s food problems.”

Images courtesy of Dawn Suiter and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.