BIOS (Biological Innovation and Optimization Systems) has entered into an academic partnership with Bruce Bugbee, PhD, Professor in the Plants, Soils and Climate Department and Director of the Crop Physiology Laboratory at Utah State University (USU). The partnership will combine Dr.Bugbee’s world-renowned expertise and research in plant physiology and photobiology with the industry-leading LED grow lighting technology development by BIOS.

“BIOS’s collaboration with Utah State University is the perfect pairing of cutting-edge research and applied science,” says Neil Yorio, Vice President of Agricultural Lighting Research for BIOS.  “Dr. Bugbee is internationally respected for his long career of groundbreaking photobiological research and discoveries.”

“During my tenure as a plant physiologist and photobiologist at NASA, I had the distinct pleasure of working with him to develop Bioregenerative Life Support Systems that will enable long duration human exploration in space.”

Dr. Bugbee’s lab is currently studying the effects of blue light on growth and development in a range of economically important crop species. His team is gearing up to look at far-red light (nearly invisible to humans) and its impact on leaf expansion rate, radiation capture and photosynthesis.

The team at BIOS will work with the USU lab to develop the research tools necessary to conduct this type of research. BIOS will use the resulting knowledge to expand their scientific approach in developing next-generation LED lighting products.

“Being a science-focused company, BIOS provides a synergistic complement to our research program,” said Dr. Bugbee. “Horticultural lighting is a wide-open field for technology development, particularly with the current interest in high yield, indoor crop production and urban farming.”

“With support from BIOS, we can advance the scientific understanding of how light can be used to alter plant growth. This knowledge can then be used to advance the design and performance of LED technology.”