Dr. Marna Yandeau-Nelson joined the GDCB faculty as a tenure-eligible assistant professor on August 16, 2014.  The overarching goal of Dr. Yandeau-Nelson’s interdisciplinary research is to dissect the genetic networks that underlie metabolic processes, and to understand how natural genetic variation in or manipulation of these networks impact how organisms respond to environmental cues. She is currently the principle investigator on a successful grant proposal to the National Science Foundation that aims to dissect the genetic and metabolic networks responsible for the synthesis of cuticle lipids in maize.  She will contribute to teaching both undergraduate and graduate Genetics courses.

Dr. Yandeau-Nelson’s educational credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Drake University, a doctoral degree in Genetics from Iowa State University, and a three-year post-doctoral fellowship at Penn State University.  Dr. Yandeau-Nelson returned to ISU in 2009 as an associate scientist and a member of the graduate faculty in the Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology Department.

Dr. Yandeau-Nelson also brings entrepreneurial expertise to her new faculty position, having co-founded two start-up companies:  VariFAS Biorenewables LLC (2013) and OmegaChea Biorenewables LLC (2012)

“Marna’s research complements and builds upon research strengths here at ISU”, said GDCB Chair Jo Anne Powell-Coffman.  “We are very excited to have been able to recruit Marna to the GDCB Department. I believe that this is just the beginning of a long and successful career for Marna here at ISU.”