John Labavitch is a member of the interdepartmental Postharvest Biology and Technology program. The research program executed by John and his colleagues emphasizes plant cell wall structure and metabolism in situations where wall metabolism is an important element of plant developmental events. For many years, they have focused their attention on fruit ripening (particularly the tissue softening that accompanies the process) and on the interactions of plants with pathogens and insects. In recent years, they have brought their understanding of cell wall metabolism to bear on the need for efficient disassembly of cell walls as part of an economical approach for the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
