US backs MSU, UK, MIT studies of medicinal plants

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Researchers at three universities have received $6 million in federal stimulus grants to study the genetics of how plants make compounds used in medicines.

The National Institutes of Health grants go to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University and the University of Kentucky.

Michigan State biochemist Dean DellaPenna says many plants make compounds that either are used directly in medicines or are slightly modified before use.

He says the goal is to understand the genes involved in synthesizing these compounds to increase the efficiency of pharmaceutical production.

Other researchers include Kentucky's Joseph Chappell, MIT's Sarah O'Connor and Michigan State's Robin Buell.