At a pivotal moment for agriculture and community wellness, Washington University in St. Louis is initiating the Food and Agriculture Research Mission (FARM), an ambitious program designed to tackle obstacles in agricultural production, food distribution, and access to healthy foods by crafting practical and scalable solutions for worldwide influence.

“The critical nature of this moment cannot be downplayed,” remarked WashU Chancellor Andrew D. Martin, a long-time advocate for this endeavor. “Hunger, malnutrition, and ecological decline are not remote threats — they are current emergencies necessitating prompt, cooperative action.

“We hold the potential to alter these outcomes through innovative responses to seemingly insurmountable challenges,” he continued. “Together, with our collaborators in St. Louis and beyond, we will reshape how we cultivate food, support communities, and preserve the environment — because the well-being of local, national, and global populations hinges upon it.”

Climate change endangers food security as severe weather conditions, increasing temperatures, and new pests reduce crop productivity. Water scarcity — exacerbated by droughts, overconsumption, and pollution — threatens irrigation and livestock farming. Labor shortages hamper the collection of fruits and vegetables, and supply chain weaknesses revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic persistently challenge food distribution.

With the worldwide population anticipated to surpass 9 billion by 2050, farmers must produce more food on diminished land while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Hunger and malnutrition are set to influence society for the next 25 years and beyond, making sustainable food systems vital for a secure future.

Significantly, FARM will be situated within WashU’s recently formed School of Public Health. “Establishing FARM in the School of Public Health emphasizes the inextricable connection between agriculture and human health,” stated Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the first Margaret C. Ryan Dean and the Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health. “Food security and nutrition are essential components of public health, impacting aspects from childhood development to chronic disease prevention.”

A strategic hub

WashU is positioned in the epicenter of U.S. agriculture, with more than half of the nation’s food production occurring within a 500-mile radius. St. Louis boasts over 1,000 plant scientists, in excess of 400 biotech firms, and prominent institutions, including the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Missouri Botanical Garden. The 200-acre Cortex Innovation District — which includes BioSTL and BioGenerator — enhances St. Louis’ agricultural innovation ecosystem, offering resources and space for startups and entrepreneurs to flourish. FARM will further bolster these collaborations to unveil new prospects.

FARM will leverage the university’s proficiencies across various fields, including public health, biology, genetics, engineering, supply chain management, and implementation science. The institution is already at the forefront of research in pest and drought resistance, genetic crop improvements, microbiome studies, global malnutrition solutions, carbon-absorbing flora, eco-friendly fertilizers, and cutting-edge medicinal developments inspired by nature.

By utilizing research networks, WashU will connect a variety of specialists — for instance, pairing an artificial intelligence (AI) expert modeling climate effects with a researcher investigating plant metabolism — to catalyze breakthroughs that neither could realize independently.

FARM will also employ AI and other advanced technologies to predict and alleviate climate-induced agricultural issues.

Global agricultural leader joins FARM

Morven A. McLean, an agricultural scientist with more than 25 years of global experience, has been appointed the inaugural director of FARM, the executive director of networks and innovation at the School of Public Health, and a professor of practice. McLean will supervise the creation of interdisciplinary research networks based at the School of Public Health. FARM will be the first network established and will serve as a prototype for the future development of networks addressing significant societal challenges.

Previously, McLean was director of global strategy, regulatory, and public affairs at Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One), a division of the Gates Foundation. Her career includes substantial work with governments, nonprofits, and the private sector to confront agricultural innovation, food security, and the regulation of emerging technologies. She has acted as a technical advisor on policy and risk analysis for organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Program, along with national governments throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and South America.

In her new position, McLean’s initial actions include conducting a landscape assessment to pinpoint collaborative possibilities across WashU’s schools and beyond. Engaging directly with farmers will also be pivotal.

“Being located in St. Louis provides unique access to a multitude of farming organizations that can serve as crucial partners, linking small, medium, and large-scale farmers with the research community,” McLean stated. “Farmer engagement is critical. We must first listen and collaboratively innovate with respect. We’re committed to fostering meaningful relationships with farmers, industry executives, and civil society to ensure our initiatives are scalable and impactful.”

Many agricultural challenges faced in the Midwest reflect global issues, she noted. “Climate change poses shared difficulties for farmers everywhere. While farmers contend with urgent financial pressures today, it is equally important to consider the future — assessing how climate shifts, policy alterations, and demographic changes will influence agriculture ahead,” McLean added.

Food, agriculture, and health

FARM is purposefully integrated into WashU’s School of Public Health. A significant component of the “Here and Next” strategic initiative, the school was established to elevate the university and St. Louis as global frontrunners in addressing society’s most pressing challenges.

“Institutions of higher education exist to confront the world’s most formidable issues, and at WashU, we are reaffirming this mission,” said Provost Beverly Wendland. “With the initiation of our School of Public Health and FARM, we can unite the finest scientists with partners across industry, government, and philanthropy, driving substantial change and enhancing human health.”

FARM will also gain from collaborations with elite WashU Medicine, a leader in biomedical research and innovation, thereby deepening the connections between agriculture, nutrition, and public health.

By embedding FARM within the realm of public health, WashU is…

Rethinking the intersection of agriculture and human health is critical, ensuring research progress not only enhances food security but also tackles issues like nutritional insecurity, which arises when individuals consume sufficient calories but lack vital nutrients, McLean remarked.

In the United States, almost half of the agricultural research and development budget is allocated to corn, mainly for ethanol and livestock feed. This limited emphasis creates considerable voids in the research of crops and dietary patterns that could aid in mitigating chronic diseases, obesity, and malnutrition. FARM intends to transform agricultural priorities, aligning food production with the needs of public health.

“By uniting agricultural researchers, public health professionals, and community collaborators, we can address pressing matters such as malnutrition and sustainable food systems comprehensively,” stated Galea. “This strategy not only navigates the challenges that farmers and communities confront today but also guarantees fair access to nutritious food for generations to come.”

Visionary minds, ambitious concepts

To propel FARM’s vision, WashU will enlist innovative faculty members, including two endowed Lauren and Lee Fixel Distinguished Professors: Lora Iannotti, a specialist in maternal and child nutrition at the Brown School of WashU, and Feng Jiao, a chemical engineer at McKelvey School of Engineering who focuses on energy storage, chemical production, and food manufacturing.

To endorse inventive concepts, FARM will initiate competitive grant programs that circumvent traditional academic funding obstacles, often favoring seasoned researchers over pioneering, high-risk initiatives. The Catalyst Award Competition will allocate $1 million in funding, with awardees chosen by the provost alongside a panel of experts from academia, government, and industry.

Furthermore, WashU will establish the FARM Incubator Fund, which will provide up to $250,000 in initial funding to interdisciplinary groups. Also in 2025, the institution will unveil the FARM Transformative Ideas Competition, a multi-year program designed to nurture and expand groundbreaking innovations. An annual exhibition will feature the accomplishments of FARM.

The Fixel Family Foundation and WashU

For Lauren and Lee Fixel, FARM represents their mission-driven aspirations: meeting critical agricultural challenges, guaranteeing food availability for every child, enhancing health via nutrition, and empowering future leaders.

The couple believes WashU is the perfect center for this initiative.

“WashU stands at the forefront of plant science and innovation,” expressed Lee Fixel, a graduate of the WashU Olin Business School, class of 2002. “This is about cultivating an environment that fast-tracks the commercialization of transformative solutions. Our aim is to foster courageous thinking and ambitious remedies.”

The Fixels’ dedication to establishing FARM builds upon their philanthropic heritage at WashU, which includes backing need-based scholarships and other university endeavors.

In 2022, the Lauren and Lee Fixel Family Foundation donated $2.5 million to support the Catalyst Challenge as part of Make Way: Our Student Initiative, which emphasizes scholarships and various forms of student assistance. This challenge offers matching funds to benefactors establishing endowed undergraduate scholarships of no less than $200,000.

Lee was a member of WashU’s Board of Trustees from 2019 to 2023. As a successful venture capitalist and investor, he also holds a position on the Washington University Investment Management Co. board. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Olin Business School in 2017.

A former scholarship recipient, he remains passionately committed to enhancing educational access and was among the youngest alumni to create an endowed scholarship at WashU.

Lauren Fixel, who graduated in journalism from the University of Florida in 2007, actively participates in their family foundation, sits on the board of the UJA Federation of New York, and supports numerous charitable initiatives within the New York City community.

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