Mike Root is the tobacco pipeline submanager at the Crop Transformation Facility (CTF) at Illinois' Research Park. He facilitates the transformation pipeline to move key traits from the model crop, tobacco, into the project's target crops such as soybeans, cowpea, and rice. For over 15 years, he has worked in plant biology and molecular genetics laboratories where he helped develop transgenic plants allowing for the study of new traits and bringing improved crop plants into the field. He earned his bachelor's degree from Miami University.