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Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar, Plant Metabolic Engineering, Arkansas Biosciences Institute/Department of Biological Sciences) and Dr. Maureen Dolan, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Arkansas Biosciences Institute, received a U.S. Patent on “Production of stilbenes from plant hairy root cultures.” The patent was issued in February of this year. The invention relates to a novel production system of stilbenes (also known as stilbenoids).

The most studied of these polyphenolic compounds is resveratrol, a natural product that has been associated with a multitude of health benefits affecting various cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and aging. The invention describes a way to produce distinct classes of natural resveratrol analogues by exposing plant hairy root cultures to stress-inducing chemicals. These resveratrol analogues are not commercially available, and in nature they are produced in very low amounts. By using the hairy root culture technology, large quantities of these natural products can be produced and easily purified. The invention has multiple applications in areas such as drug discovery.

The work was conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Medina-Bolivar at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute. Additional ASU co-inventors in this patent are Dr. Medina-Bolivar’s Ph.D. student Jose Condori and ABI research associate John Hubstenberger.

 Photos credited to www.astate.edu.