Elizabeth Hood

Expert Bio

Dr. Elizabeth Hood has studied plant biology for 37 years – with a focus on the production of enzymes – to bring to reality the ‘biomass to bioproducts’ industry through biotechnology. She has over 80 publications and patents and is an invited speaker globally. Dr. Hood received an MS in Botany from Oklahoma State University. She received her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Washington University in St. Louis under World Food Prize awardees/advisers Mary-Dell Chilton (Syngenta) and Robert Fraley (Monsanto). Her Ph.D. project developed the agrobacterial strain EHA101, now used globally for gene transfer into plants for crop improvement. At Pioneer Hi-Bred International she directed a cell biology group focused on plant production of therapeutic proteins. She and her team developed the first commercialized product from a plant production system. She joined plant biotechnology company ProdiGene, where she formed and led an internationally recognized transgenic plant research group. Later, she served as a cell biology Program Director at the National Science Foundation. Dr. Hood joined Arkansas State in 2004 as Associate VC for Research and Technology Transfer; in 2008 she became the Lipscomb Distinguished Professor of Agriculture. She is also CEO of Infinite Enzymes and Infinite Eversole Strategic Crop Services.