Albert K. Liu

Plant-based milks: from barista bars to supermarket shelves, these dairy alternatives have taken the world by storm. But how did we get to this point, and what does their growing popularity mean for human health? To answer these questions and more, we take a look at the current state of the plant-based milk market and what drives consumer interest in trying them, as well as thinking more about a potential new crop for milk products.

Our bodies run on three main groups of macronutrients (nutrients we need in larger quantities that provide us with energy and keep us healthy): carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. However, experts are now looking at a potential fourth group called ketone bodies. You may have heard of ketone bodies from the increasingly popular ketogenic diet, but they are much more than a fad diet. Ketone bodies are naturally created within our bodies through a series of events that allow us to use fat as a fuel

In a world of constant innovation, is our food keeping up with the times? Our relationship with food is one as old as history, dating back to the rise of civilization when early humans discovered how to grow enough food to sustain ever-increasing populations. However, humanity has come a long way from early agriculture, and our modern practices of food production and consumption have changed much faster than our own biology. While our bodies may function as if we were still hunter-gatherers, the

How IGI researchers are using plants to capture and store carbon — and why CRISPR is the key

Recently, the IGI announced an ambitious new project to supercharge the ability of plants and soils to capture carbon from the atmosphere with the goal of using genomic tools to help fight climate change. A key part of this plan relies on improving photosynthesis in crop plants, so we wanted to take a deeper look at this topic. What does it mean to improve photosynthesis, and why do we think we have the