Our Mission
We are dedicated to advancing fundamental knowledge of plant biology and harnessing this understanding to develop innovative solutions that address humanity’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. We strive to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, drive transformative discoveries, and inspire and train the next generation of scientists and engineers to lead in this vital field.
From the Director
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
As the Inaugural Director of the Institute for Plant-Human Interface (IPHI), I am excited to share our vision for this transformative initiative that sits at the intersection of plant sciences, human health, and sustainability.
The relationship between plants and humans is fundamental to both our past and our sustainable future on Earth. Plants not only provide us with oxygen, food, and materials, but also produce an extraordinary array of specialized compounds that have profound impacts on human health and society. After dedicating two decades to studying plant metabolic systems, I have witnessed tremendous advances in our understanding of plant biology, driven by methodological innovations in genetics, biochemistry, genomics, and synthetic biology. We now stand at an inflection point where emerging technologies – from CRISPR-based genome editing to artificial intelligence (AI) – make it possible to reimagine and accelerate innovation in plant sciences and engineering at an unprecedented pace and scale.
It is this extraordinary opportunity that inspired me to join Northeastern University to build IPHI in 2023. Located in Boston, the heart of biotechnology innovation, IPHI aims to build a vibrant interdisciplinary community focused on advancing our understanding of fundamental plant biology and developing sustainable solutions that benefit humanity, particularly in fields such as the pharmaceutical industry and agriculture.
Our research priorities span several critical areas, including: 1) investigating plant chemical interactions with the human body, including their impacts on metabolism, the nervous system, and the immune system, 2) developing new drug discovery platforms based on bioactive plant natural products, 3) engineering climate-resilient crops with enhanced production and reduced environmental impact, 4) understanding plant ecosystem dynamics under climate change, 5) creating AI-assisted tools and knowledge bases for plant sciences and related disciplines, and 6) advancing plant synthetic biology and biomanufacturing.
Looking ahead to the next decade, I envision our work leading to several transformative outcomes that will benefit society. We aim to discover novel plant-inspired therapeutics for complex diseases, develop climate-adaptive crops that ensure food security, and create sustainable biomanufacturing platforms for high-value compounds. Our work in AI-powered systems will enhance our ability to predict and harness beneficial plant traits, while new technologies for carbon sequestration through bioengineered plants will contribute to addressing climate change.
Central to our mission is training the next generation of scientists and engineers in this critically important field. We are developing innovative educational programs and research opportunities for students and junior scientists at all levels. Our location in Boston’s rich academic and biotechnology ecosystem provides unique opportunities for collaboration and translation of discoveries.
I am deeply grateful to Northeastern University’s leadership for supporting this unique vision. Our state-of-the-art research space at EXP and extended research facilities at other campuses within Northeastern’s global network of campuses provide a collaborative environment designed to foster innovation and interdisciplinary research.
We invite scientists, engineers, students, industry partners, and supporters to join us in this exciting endeavor. Whether through research collaboration, educational partnerships, or philanthropic support, there are many ways to contribute to this important mission. Together, we can harness the power of plants to address some of humanity’s greatest challenges in health, agriculture, and sustainability.
The future of plant-human interface research is bright, and the time to act is now. I look forward to working with all of you to realize this vision.
Warm regards,
Jing-Ke Weng
Inaugural Director, IPHI
Professor of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, and Bioengineering
Affiliated Professor of Chemical Engineering
Northeastern University
Our Facilities
EXP at Boston
The Northeastern EXP building is a state-of-the-art research facility at the Northeastern University Boston campus, designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and groundbreaking innovation. IPHI is proud to call this vibrant hub its home, where advanced research spaces, cutting-edge instrumentation, and a culture of cross-disciplinary partnerships drive pioneering plant sciences and new biotechnology development.
Innovation Campus at Burlington
The Northeastern Innovation Campus in Burlington is a cutting-edge research hub, located 17 miles northwest of the Boston campus, built to foster innovation and industry collaboration. It features state-of-the-art labs and testing spaces, supporting diverse scientific disciplines. The Burlington campus will house IPHI’s research greenhouse and additional crop science facilities, bridging basic plant research with real-world applications.
Marine Science Center at Nahant
The Northeastern Marine Science Center (MSC), located on the historic East Point peninsula in Nahant, Massachusetts, is a premier research and educational facility dedicated to marine and environmental sciences. The MSC provides critical facilities to support IPHI’s research initiatives in algal biology and marine ecology.