ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY POSITIONS

National Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellow: Department of Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, 1984‑1987. In collaboration with Dr. Marc Van Montague's laboratory; University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium and the University of New Hampshire.

Visiting Professor: One yr teaching appointment. Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, 1987‑1988.

Research Scientist: Pfizer, Inc/ DeKalb Genetics Corp. Plant Molecular Biology, 1988‑1990.

    Senior Research Scientist: DeKalb Plant Genetics, Maize Transformation Discovery Research, 1991-1993.

    Senior Project Leader: DeKalb Plant Genetics, Transgenics Technology Development 1993-1998

Associate Professor  Dept. of Plant Science,  University of Connecticut (1997-1998)

Vice President/Director of Research, HybriGene, Inc.  West Kingston, RI & Visiting Professor, Dept. Plant Science, & Dept. Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, South Kingston, RI. President and Founder of life edu.org  (1999-2004)

Full Professor: Dept. Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, South Kingston, RI. (present)

Concurrent  Academic Appointments*

* Throughout full-time employment in various industry positions, Dr. Kausch maintained several active academic commitments. He has served as a Visiting Professor at the University of New Hampshire, and also at Connecticut College, teaching various courses, and serving as an Undergraduate Research Independent Studies Advisor. He developed an undergraduate internship program at DeKalb Genetics Corporation.  He has also taught and served on several graduate thesis committees at The University of Rhode Island. Dr. Albert Kausch is currently a Professor at the University of Rhode Island in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.

                Visiting Professor: University of New Hampshire, Department of Botany, Durham, NH, 1987

                Visiting Professor: Connecticut College, Department of Botany, New London, CT, 1992. (taught Plant Structure and Function Bot. 226) Adjunct Professor/Student Internship Advisor: Connecticut College,  Department of Botany , New London, CT, 1990-present (advisor for 12 Independent studies students)

Visiting Professor: Connecticut College, Department of Botany, New London, CT, 1995, 1997 (taught Botany 491: Plant Biotechnology)

Adjunct Professor/Ph.D. Advisor: University of Rhode Island, Department of Botany, South Kingston R.I., 1991-93 (Graduate Advisor and Thesis Committees)

Adjunct Professor: University of Rhode Island, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Genetics, South Kingston R.I., 1991-present (Graduate Thesis Committees)

Professor: University of Rhode Island, Department of Plant Sciences & Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, South Kingston R.I., (teaching  Issues in Biotechnology BCH 190)  Present

NIH Post‑doctoral Fellowship Research

NIH Postdoctoral Fellow: Laboratory of Dr. Anthony R. Cashmore, 1983-86.  Dept. of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York City, NY. In collaboration with Dr. Marc Van Montague's laboratory; University of Gent, Gent, Belgium.

Early work on Agrobacterium‑mediated plant cell transformation and transgenic plant regeneration; Promoter dissection and analysis, Light regulated gene expression of nuclear encoded chloroplast proteins Nature318:579‑582.; Organelle isolation and physiology, protein targeting; Post‑translational import of polypeptides into chloroplasts; Targeting of foreign proteins to organelles by chimeric genes encoding transit peptides (Nature 313:358‑363). This work resulted in four major US patents on using the transit peptide for directing foreign proteins to chloroplasts in genetically engineered plants (US PTO Number 5,728,925,  Number 5,717,084, Number 6,063,601 and Number 6,130366)

Teaching Experience

Iowa State University: Graduate Teaching Assistant (1978-1983):

Courses: General Biology Laboratory. General Botany. Morphology of Vascular Plants. Laboratory of Plant Cell and Tissue Culture. Plant Anatomy. Electron Microscopy I and II. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X‑ray Microanalysis.  Transmission Electron Microscopy. Plant Cell and Tissue Culture.

Mount Holyoke College: Assistant Professor  (1987-1988).

                Courses: Molecular Biology of the Cell; 1987, Laboratory for Molecular/Cell Biology; 1987. 

                Plant Physiology. 1987.  Electron Microscopy for Biology; 1988.

Undergraduate Thesis Research Advisor: Senior Honors Thesis student: Cynthia J. Grondin; 1988. Tissue specific localization of bromelin in Ananus comosus. Research supported by a grant from Del Monte Corp.

Connecticut College: Visiting and Adjunct Professor (1992-present)

Courses: Plant Structure and Growth, 1992. Laboratory for Plant Structure and Growth, 1992 Developmental Plant Biology, 1994 Special Topics in Botany: Plant Biotechnology, 1995 Current Topics in Botany: Plant Biotechnology, 1997 Issues in Biotechnology, 2002 Pfizer Corporation Sponsorship

        Undergraduate Research Independent Studies Advisor, Connecticut College (1992-1997)

Dr. Kausch has served as an undergraduate research advisor for nineteen students from Connecticut College.  Four have been co-authors on reviewed journal publications, and seven are currently working in life sciences or in graduate school.

University of Connecticut: Associate Professor (1997-1998)

Courses: Modern Techniques in Plant Biotechnology, Laboratory and Lecture. 1998.

University of Rhode Island: Professor (present)

URI Courses:

               BMMG  Plant Transgenics (funded by DeKalb Genetics Corporation).  Spring 1997

                Special Topics in Plant Science: Plant Biotechnology and Agriculture. Spring 1999

                PLS 491/591 Gene Transfer to Plants. Fall 1999.

                PLS 492/592  Molecular analysis of transgenic plants. Spring 2000.

Curriculum Improvement: New Courses:

 AFS 190, PLS 190, MIC 190 and BCH 190 Issues in Biotechnology. Fall 1999/ Fall 2000/Spring 2001/ Spring 2003, Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer Session 2005, Fall 2005 Development of on-line classes and  distance learning. This is now a General Education course at URI

Modern Techniques in Genetic Engineering  PLS 481/482 Fall 2002/Spring 2003, Fall 2004/2005

                URI Internship program PLS 491/492, F/S 2001, F/S 2002,  F/S 2003, F/S 2004, F/S 2005

URI Graduate Ph.D. Thesis committees

Dr. Kausch has served on seven Ph. D committees, and three MS committees for the University of Rhode Island and played an active role in graduate and undergraduate student research ( names, dates and thesis titles available on request) Current-John Longo University of Rhode Island, Department of cell and Molecular Biology, South Kingston RI, 2003-2006 Transposon Mutagenesis in rice  Current-Joel Hague University of Rhode Island, Department of cell and Molecular Biology, South Kingston RI, 2003-2004 developmental analysis of the maize pollen specific promoter.

Agricultural Biotechnology Experience in Private Industry

                Brief Descriptions of Activities and Accomplishments

 Pfizer, Inc. Research Scientist (1988-1992) Head of Plant Cell Culture/Corn Transformation

Research team developed first genetically modified corn plants.  Directed project to develop appropriate cell  culture, gene transfer and selection system for transformation of corn. (see US patent Numbers 5,489,520 and 5,550,318). Managed a team of nine research and technical assistants.  Developed a project on magnetic separation of bio-macromolecules, cells and organelles (see US patent No. 5,508,164).

DeKalb Genetics Corporation Senior Research Scientist (1992-1993) Head of Yield Stability

Managed team of nine full time employees. Yield Stability; Drought Tolerance; and Transformation Technology Development in Corn, Developed project on drought tolerant maize by genetic engineering approaches with a research group of five research assistants (see US patent 5,780,709;1998). 

DeKalb Genetics Corporation Senior Project Scientist (1993-1994) Head of Transformation Technology Development

Directed Transformation Technology Development in maize at DeKalb Genetics.  Focus: Transformation  development research in maize (see US patents, 6,281,411; 2001, 5,874,265; 1999 and 5,489,520; 1996)

Established a program for Undergraduate Independent studies students and student internships between DeKalb Genetics, Connecticut College and the University of Rhode Island 

DeKalb Genetics Corporation Senior Project Leader (1994-1997)   Transformation Technology Development

Gene targeting by site directed integration via Cre/Lox system ; promoter and gene expression studies; gene silencing Development of a promoter evaluation research project to study product gene expression in transgenic maize.  Evaluation of CaMV 35S, aldolase, rice actin 1, and maize adh1.

Developed educational materials and tours of the facility regarding biotechnology and gene transfer to corn.

Ig. Tech, Inc. Co-Founder & Consultant 1997

Co-Founding member, as plant molecular biologist, of an effort to produce antibodies in plants for animal health care products. Raised over $2.8 million in financing.  Sold company to multi-nationals. 

HybriGene Inc.  Vice President/Director of Research Gene Discovery and Genetic Improvement in Grasses and Cereal Crops

HybriGene Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company focusing on genetic improvement in turfgrasses and cereal crops. Responsibilities include direction and management of the laboratory in West Kingston RI, licensing arrangements, patent preparation and intellectual property; grant (SBIR) and business plan writing, etc. HybriGene has raised over $ 3.2 million in financing.

Designed transgenic laboratory for transformation of turf crops and exotic grasses and maintain  direction of the Rose student internship program or undergraduates at URI.  Responsible for hiring scientific all staff  for molecular biology and plant transformation laboratory in West Kingston RI.  Trait development and trait gene acquisition for crop improvement in alfalfa, forage, and cool-season turf species.  Management of fifteen full time employees.  Development of university and industry collaborations in the United States and Eastern Europe. Licensing of genes and technology. Development of University/Industry interactions.

Ophios LLC Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Research:  An Agri-Food Production Company specializing in development and commercialization of Baby Green Garlic. Established and invented a new vegetable called BabyGreen Garlic, patent pending.

H.  Selected Major Scientific Achievements and Contributions in Biotechnology

Demonstrated targeting of foreign proteins in transgenic plants. (Postdoctoral ) Four  major worldwide patents. This technology has been used in all Round-up Ready crops. Co-inventor on four major world wide patents for the use of the transit peptide for targeting any foreign protein to chloroplasts in transgenic plants USA patent numbers 5,717,084;  5,728,925, 6,063,601 , and 6130366).  This technology is currently applied in all Round-up Ready and many Bt driven insect resistant plants ( a total of over 140 million acres in the US, including cotton, wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans)These patents derive from work conducted during Dr. Kausch’s postdoctoral at the Rockefeller University in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems, Inc. and Marc Van Montague’s laboratory in Gent Belgium.

Co-inventor on several major patents for corn transformation (for example, see US patent numbers 5,489,520 and 5,550,318): these patents attracted world-wide attention and had a significant affect on DeKalb stock. This work focused on development of corn transformation by microprojectile bombardment and the production of herbicide resistant plants.  Additional patents in transformation related areas resulted in a related family of IP.

Designed, organized, and coordinated an effort focused on several molecular approaches to Yield Stability (for example, see US patent number 5,780,709) for traits including drought tolerance, chilling and freeze tolerance, salt tolerance and others in corn. Contributions as a co-inventor resulted in filed patent applications. Collaborated on projects related to enhanced Grain Quality.

Conceived, and to developed early technology for biological magnetic separation technology.  This work resulted in two issued patents. Procedures for large scale DNA insert isolation by triple helix magnetic affinity capture (Nucleic Acids Res. 1995, 19:26) resulted in a commercially produced kit marketed by Boerhinger Mannhiem. Inventor of technology and methods for immuno-isolation of biological materials including chromosomes and organelles (see references and attached patent, US patent No. 5,508,164) 

Designed five (5) Plant Transgenics Laboratory Facilities Genetic transformation technology development in many species (maize, rice, tobacco, Arabidopsis, pea, rhododendron, alfalfa, and many turfgrass species) by many techniques (Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer, biolistics, protoplast electroporation, silicon carbide-mediated direct DNA uptake, and many others). Development of novel transformation methods for plants.

J. Biotechnology industry and non-profit interests 

Ig.Tech, Inc. (SOLD-2001)

           Development of antibodies in transgenic plants for veterinary markets

“The New Generation of Products for Animal Health”

Co-Founders:  Manuel Campos, Osvaldo Lopez , Serge Martinod, and Albert Kausch

Ig.Tech is a biotechnology start-up company specializing in the development of new therapies for disease prevention and treatment in animal health applications.  The primary focus of the company is to identify and develop antibodies with specificities and functions that will be introduced as innovative veterinary products in national and international markets.  The founders are experienced immunologists, veterinarians and scientists in the areas of animal health biologicals and plant molecular biology.  Their academic and industrial background combined with their individual networks, project management, and business development experience is specially suited to create and develop a portfolio of innovative antibody-based products.

                Ig.Tech established a large 3-year $2.9 million collaboration with a major Life Sciences company in the development of plant-derived antibody products for animal health markets worldwide.  The collaboration provided funding for Ig.Tech’s research related to this project. Together, the companies  demonstrated that antibodies are a feasible and profitable alternative to conventional and traditional animal health products. This collaboration was bought out by the investors in 2002 

                                       HybriGene, Inc.

Genetic Modification for Turfgrass and Cereal Improvement

Dr. Albert Kausch, Vice President and Director of Research

HybriGene is a stage II agricultural biotechnology company whose primary focus is the development of new products for the turfgrass seed industry and hybrid cereal crop plants through genetic modification. The company was initially established in 1999 by Dr. Thomas K. Hodges, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, and Mr. Bill L. Rose, President of Turf Seed, Inc.  Dr. Hodges led a research team that developed several patentable technologies that are currently quite valuable to the agricultural biotechnology industry. HybriGene is headquartered in Oregon near Hubbard.  The main company laboratory, currently located in West Kingston, Rhode Island, is a fully functional plant transgenics and plant molecular biology facility capable of performing all of the technical aspects necessary to commercialize new turf varieties with improved traits. The primary focus of the HybriGene laboratory is to produce new varieties of grasses and cereals with commercial potential.  Hybrigene has received over $ 3.5 million in private and federal (SBIR) financing.  With HybriGene, Inc. in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island, Dr. Kausch has developed a paid, or for-credit, student internship program in plant biotechnology, and a two semester project-based training program titled “ Modern Techniques in Biotechnology”.  HybriGene has a commitment to responsible environmental biotechnology and education.

Ophios LLC

An Agri-Food Production Company

Peter Sellew, Amol Deshpande, Paul Sellew, Duncan McSweeney, and Albert Kausch

Ophios, LLC is a vegetable produce company that has developed a new garlic vegetable called Baby Green Garlic. The popularity of garlic is on the rise in the U.S.  Consumption of garlic in the US has risen from ½ pound per person in 1985 to 3.1 pounds per person in 1999. Of the total garlic harvested in the US, 60% is dehydrated, 30% is sold fresh, and 10% is processed for oil. Garlic is an excellent crop to promote as a local specialty. It can be sold in a number of forms for a number of uses. The major business objectives of Ophios are as follows: I). Develop cost effective technologies to produce large scale amounts of baby green garlic year round as a new commercial market for grocery stores, nurseries and farmers II). Identify gourmet hardneck garlic varieties as a specialty crop from and file Plant Variety Protection (PVP) patents to secure licensing rights; III). Develop capabilities to create new garlic varieties using advanced plant breeding, transgenic and other biotechnology approaches

Ophios has introduced Baby Green Garlic as a new vegetable commodity, comparable to green onions or scallions, except with a mild garlic flavor.  The plants appear similar to their onion relatives, also having a whitish bulb at the base of the plant instead of the familiar garlic cloves of a mature plant.  Ophios has developed and patented a system to produce large scale amounts of green garlic that will be packaged and sold as fresh produce in grocery stores.  We intend to produce young shoots that will be packaged as garlic sprouts, as well as scallion, and leek-sized green garlic that will be packaged and sold as fresh produce in grocery stores. Baby Green Garlic is currently sold on a very small scale and only as a seasonally because the limited production capability of current growers. Our production approach allows reliable year round supplies.  We think this new commodity will be well received.

lifeedu.org                                                                                          

     lifeedu (pronounced, life e-d-u) is a nonprofit organization established for the creation, production, and distribution of educational materials on DNA, genetics, and modern biotechnology for middle school, high school, general undergraduate and the general public. The organization was founded to meet a growing educational need that is fundamental to the life sciences and the general education of our society.

        Currently, there is a wide disparity between the knowledge of the general public about DNA and biotechnology and the actual science and its’ applications. This gap is growing wider every day and has created a current educational crisis about DNA, how life works and biotechnology.  This lack of fundamental knowledge has resulted in much uninformed debate and even protests about biotechnology.

        The goal of lifeedu is to bridge this gap in understanding and fundamentally change the way people think about life.  The biological, health, and environmental sciences have been rapidly transformed by the introduction of DNA-based technologies that allow for the precise manipulation and examination of the genetic material of plants, animals, humans, and microbes.  The advancements have been so rapid and extensive and have far exceeded the public knowledge base that crucial decisions are being made by default.  Embryonic stem cell research, cloning, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food, genomic research and informed consent, are current controversies.  The tools of biotechnology are currently being applied across the biological sciences to address problems in medicine, pharmacy, agricultural crop improvement, marine sciences and aquaculture, forensics, bioterrorism and public health.  The introduction of this field has been extremely rapid and has created a tremendous educational need to keep pace. A working knowledge of DNA, genetics, and biotechnology has become as fundamental to a basic education as an understanding of the solar system.  The more our society understands the fundamentals the better equipped they will be to participate, affecting career opportunities, economic development, policy and decision making, as well as general consumer education in a life long learning process.  lifeedu is dedicated to the production and development of the most reliable, comprehensive and accessible educational materials about biotechnology.  Educational kits and materials are developed in a modular approach that is auto-tutorial for both teachers and students and is fully up-datable.

        lifeedu has established a broad base of industry, academic, and government support and expertise. Our highly respected Founding Board of Directors has enabled us to attract a diverse group of talented experts.

This Founding Board of Directors initiated the program and aims to be integral in biotechnology education in the State of Connecticut and nationwide and includes the following individuals:  Directors: Albert Kausch, Ph.D. University of Rhode Island, Stephen Dellaporta, Ph. D. Yale University Elora Weringer, Ph.D. Pfizer, Inc. President, Albert Kausch, Ph.D. Co- Vice Presidents, Bioethics; Lynn Pasquerella, Ph.D. Lawrence Rothstein, Ph.D. University of Rhode Island, Vice President, Middle School and High School Curriculum Reform David Moss, Ph.D. University of Connecticut, Vice President, General and Undergraduate Education Development  T. Page Owen. Jr., Ph.D. Connecticut College Vice President, Training Program Development  Gregory Paquette, Ph.D., CLS, University of Rhode Island, Vice President, Marine Biotechnology Education Marta Gomez-Chiarri, Ph.D. University of Rhode Island, Vice President, Vocational Agricultural Education, Govind Sharma, Ph.D. Alabama A&M University, Vice President, E-Learning and Biopharmaceutical Corporate Liaisons, Paul A. Armond, Ph.D. Pfizer, Inc. Vice President, Multimedia Productions, Chip Longo

                        lifeedu makes educational materials on biotechnology, such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, videos, textbooks, written lesson plans, demonstrations, kits, and other materials to facilitate teaching and information transfer about DNA, genetics and biotechnology.  We believe it is now necessary to involve these materials and approaches throughout the life long learning educational sectors with an emphasis on introducing these materials early and throughout the education process.  Help us change the future.

lifeedu.org

President and Founder