G. K. Podila
Encyclopedia
Gopi K. Podila (September 14, 1957 – February 12, 2010) was an Indian American
biologist, noted academician
, and faculty member at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
. He was one of three faculty members killed in a shooting allegedly by Amy Bishop at the university on February 12, 2010. He was chairperson of the university's department of biological sciences, with a particular interest in the ecology of Populus and their mycorrhiza
l symbionts.
In particular, Podila studied genes that regulate growth in fast growing trees, especially poplar and aspen. He has advocated prospective use of fast growing trees and grasses as an alternative to corn sources for producing ethanol
. He was also the coordinator of an international consortium of institutions that has deciphered the genome
of mycorrhizal fungus
, a fungus whose symbiotic
properties allow trees to generate large amounts of biomass.
G. K. Podila received a B.Sc. degree from Nagarjuna University
in India. He obtained a Master's degree from Louisiana State University
in 1983 and a PhD in molecular biology from Indiana State University
in 1987. Prior to joining the University of Alabama in Huntsville
, he worked at Michigan Technological University
from 1990-2002.
Podila was an Editorial Board member of the journals Symbiosis, New Phytologist, Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, and Journal of Plant Interactions.
At the time of his death Podila was a Councilor of the International Symbiosis Society. He is survived by his widow, Vani Podila.
Indian American
Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...
biologist, noted academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
, and faculty member at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Alabama in Huntsville
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a state-supported, public, coeducational research university, located in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees, and is organized in five...
. He was one of three faculty members killed in a shooting allegedly by Amy Bishop at the university on February 12, 2010. He was chairperson of the university's department of biological sciences, with a particular interest in the ecology of Populus and their mycorrhiza
Mycorrhiza
A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant....
l symbionts.
Research career
He listed his research interests as "engineering tree biomass for bioenergy, functional genomics of plant-microbe interactions, plant molecular biology and biotechnology".In particular, Podila studied genes that regulate growth in fast growing trees, especially poplar and aspen. He has advocated prospective use of fast growing trees and grasses as an alternative to corn sources for producing ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
. He was also the coordinator of an international consortium of institutions that has deciphered the genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
of mycorrhizal fungus
Mycorrhiza
A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant....
, a fungus whose symbiotic
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
properties allow trees to generate large amounts of biomass.
G. K. Podila received a B.Sc. degree from Nagarjuna University
Acharya Nagarjuna University
Acharya Nagarjuna University is one of the Universities located in the region of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the major universities in the country covering many colleges and institutes of different districts in the region...
in India. He obtained a Master's degree from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in 1983 and a PhD in molecular biology from Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
in 1987. Prior to joining the University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Alabama in Huntsville
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a state-supported, public, coeducational research university, located in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees, and is organized in five...
, he worked at Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
from 1990-2002.
Podila was an Editorial Board member of the journals Symbiosis, New Phytologist, Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, and Journal of Plant Interactions.
At the time of his death Podila was a Councilor of the International Symbiosis Society. He is survived by his widow, Vani Podila.