Dr. Joseph Knoll graduated from the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University in 2007 with a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics.  He joined the Ozias-Akins lab in January, 2008 to work on the peanut TILLING project.  The aim of this research is to identify and characterize induced mutations in major allergen genes of peanut, with the eventual goal of developing a peanut with reduced allergenicity.  This research will also be extended to characterize mutations in other important genes, such as those affecting oil quality or disease resistance.  Dr. Knoll is a member of the Crop Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and Gamma Sigma Delta.