At a critical juncture for agriculture and public health, Washington University in St. Louis is launching the Food and Agriculture Research Mission (FARM), an ambitious initiative that aims to address challenges in agricultural production, food distribution and access to nutritious foods by developing practical, scalable solutions for global impact.
“The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated,” said WashU Chancellor Andrew D. Martin, who has long advocated for this initiative. “Hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation are not distant threats — they are present crises demanding immediate, coordinated action.
“We have the opportunity to interrupt these consequences by applying innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems,” he added. “Together, with our partners in St. Louis and beyond, we will transform how we grow food, nourish communities and sustain the environment — because the health of regional, national and global populations depends on it.”
Climate change threatens food security as extreme weather, rising temperatures and emerging pests diminish crop yields. Water scarcity — intensified by droughts, overuse and pollution — jeopardizes irrigation and livestock production. Labor shortages disrupt the harvesting of fruits and vegetables, and supply-chain vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to strain food distribution.
With the global population projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, farmers must grow more food on less land while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hunger and malnutrition are poised to shape society for the next 25 years and beyond, making sustainable food systems essential to a stable future.
Launched with support from the Lauren and Lee Fixel Family Foundation, FARM will reimagine the future of agriculture through a multipronged approach — recruiting top researchers, deploying agile funding models, forging interdisciplinary research networks and uniting academia, industry, the nonprofit sector and government.
Notably, FARM will be housed within WashU’s newly established School of Public Health. “Placing FARM in the School of Public Health underscores the inseparable link between agriculture and human health,” said Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the inaugural Margaret C. Ryan Dean and Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health. “Food security and nutrition are foundational to public health, affecting everything from childhood development to chronic disease prevention.”
A strategic location
WashU is located in the heart of U.S. agriculture, with over half of the nation’s food production within 500 miles. St. Louis is home to 1,000-plus plant scientists, more than 400 biotech companies and renowned institutions, including the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Missouri Botanical Garden. The 200-acre Cortex Innovation District — including BioSTL and BioGenerator — expands St. Louis’ agricultural innovation network, providing space and resources to help startups and entrepreneurs thrive. FARM will further strengthen these partnerships to unlock new opportunities.
FARM will harness the university’s expertise in multiple disciplines, including public health, biology, genetics, engineering, supply-chain management and implementation science. The university already is pioneering research in pest and drought resistance, genetic crop enhancements, microbiome science, global malnutrition, carbon-absorbing plants, eco-friendly fertilizers and next-generation medicines inspired by nature.
By leveraging research networks, WashU will connect diverse experts — pairing, for example, an artificial intelligence (AI) specialist modeling climate impacts with a scientist studying plant metabolism — to drive breakthroughs neither could achieve alone.
FARM also will use AI and other advanced tools to forecast and mitigate climate-driven agricultural issues.
Global ag leader joins FARM
Morven A. McLean, an agricultural scientist with over 25 years of international experience, has been named inaugural director of FARM, executive director of networks and innovation at the School of Public Health and a professor of practice. McLean will oversee the development of interdisciplinary research networks centered at the School of Public Health. FARM will be the first network launched and a model for subsequent development of networks that tackle critical societal problems.
Previously, McLean served as director of global strategy, regulatory and public affairs at Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One), a subsidiary of the Gates Foundation. Her career spans extensive work with governments, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to address agricultural innovation, food security and the regulation of emerging technologies. She has served as a technical expert on policy and risk assessment for organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Program, as well as national governments across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South America.
McLean’s first steps in her new role include a landscape assessment to identify collaboration opportunities across WashU’s schools and beyond. Direct engagement with farmers also will be crucial.
“Being based in St. Louis offers unique access to numerous farming organizations that can act as vital partners, connecting small-, medium- and large-scale farmers to the research community,” McLean said. “Farmer input is essential. We must listen first and co-create with humility. We’re focused on building meaningful relationships with farmers, industry leaders and civil society to ensure our efforts are scalable and impactful.”
Many Midwestern agricultural concerns mirror global problems, she said. “Climate change presents shared challenges for farmers everywhere. Farmers face immediate pressures to pay their bills today, but it’s equally critical to look ahead — examining how climate, policy changes and demographic trends will shape agriculture’s future,” McLean added.
Food, farming and health
FARM is intentionally part of WashU’s School of Public Health. A key initiative of the “Here and Next” strategic plan, the school was created to position the university and St. Louis as global leaders in solving society’s most urgent challenges.
“Universities exist to tackle the world’s toughest challenges, and at WashU, we’re doubling down on that mission,” Provost Beverly Wendland said. “With the launch of our School of Public Health and FARM, we have the opportunity to bring together the best scientists with partners in industry, government and philanthropy to drive impactful change and advance human health.”
FARM also will benefit from collaboration with top-ranked WashU Medicine, a leader in biomedical research and innovation, further connecting agriculture, nutrition and public health.
By embedding FARM into public health, WashU is rethinking how agriculture and human health intersect, ensuring that research not only advances food security but also addresses concerns such as nutrition insecurity, which occurs when people consume enough calories but lack essential nutrients, McLean noted.
In the U.S., nearly half of agricultural research and development funding goes to corn, primarily for ethanol and animal feed. This narrow focus leaves significant gaps in research on crops and diets that could help combat chronic disease, obesity and malnutrition. FARM aims to reshape agricultural priorities, aligning food production with public health needs.
“By aligning agricultural scientists, public health leaders and community partners, we can tackle critical issues like malnutrition and sustainable food systems holistically,” Galea said. “This approach not only addresses the challenges farmers and communities face today but also ensures equitable access to nutritious food for future generations.”
Bold thinkers, big ideas
To drive FARM’s mission, WashU will engage visionary faculty, including two endowed Lauren and Lee Fixel Distinguished Professors: Lora Iannotti, a maternal and child nutrition expert in the Brown School at WashU, and Feng Jiao, a chemical engineer in the university’s McKelvey School of Engineering specializing in energy storage, chemical manufacturing and food production.
To support bold ideas, FARM will launch competitive grant programs that bypass traditional academic funding barriers, which often favor established researchers over innovative, high-risk projects. The Catalyst Award Competition will provide $1 million in funding, with winners selected by the provost and a panel of academic, government and industry advisers.
Additionally, WashU will establish the FARM Incubator Fund, offering up to $250,000 in seed funding to interdisciplinary teams. Also in 2025, the university will launch the FARM Transformative Ideas Competition, a multiyear initiative to nurture and scale transformative innovations. An annual showcase will highlight FARM’s achievements.
