Kasey Markel and Patrick Shih (UC Berkeley and the Joint BioEnergy Institute) are looking for new ways to engineer plants. So they’ve looked into wasps that program oak trees to grow structures called galls.

In this episode, hear from Kasey and Patrick about how this project unfolded, and how they worked with the JGI's metabolomics program to find out more about these weird little pods.

Links from this episode:

• Submit your own proposal to work with the JGI
• Join us at the 2024 JGI User Meeting

• Find all episode transcripts on our website
• Paper: Cynipid wasps systematically reprogram host metabolism and restructure cell walls in developing galls

• Our contact info:
  • Twitter: @JGI
  • Email: jgi-comms at lbl dot gov

• Sound effects credits: 
  • oars.wav by hazure
  • Parma Park Bird Song with Stream.WAV by muneio