Discovering Breakthroughs

Discovering breakthroughs is not just a goal, but a reality within the labs of the Applied Research division. Each day, the staff focus on projects driven strictly by the needs of industry in order to help foster economic transformation. While our Analytical Chemistry group offers elite testing services, our Advanced Materials labs provide cutting-edge characterization and polymer testing capabilities. The groundbreaking agricultural enrichment efforts of our Controlled Environment Agriculture and Plant Endophyte Research teams add to our pride in enhancing human life and presenting commercialization prospects.

Meet Our

Vice President, Applied Research

Scott Lowman, Ph.D.

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Office: 434.766.6628
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Meet The Team

Advanced Materials

Equipped with polymer testing and characterization capabilities, IALR’s high-tech advanced materials labs are ideally suited to support industry needs.

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Analytical Chemistry

Analytical methodology development and chemical testing services help expedite decision-making processes, quantify the efficacy of products under development and offer access to state-of-the-art equipment.

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Controlled Environment Agriculture 

By developing strategic partnerships with industry, academia, and producers, the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a hub for research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the controlled environment agriculture sector.

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Plant Endophyte Research Center

IALR’s Plant Endophyte Research Center is the first of its kind in the U.S. It leverages private and public partnerships, an elite team of scientists and exclusive equipment and testing services. A library of 2,000 endophytes, or beneficial plant bacteria, show promise as natural biostimulants—reducing chemical fertilizer use and preserving the environment.

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Robotic Imaging

IALR’s SMART tables, which are precision imaging platforms, record and track plant growth and responses to environmental stimuli. This data could be used for early detection of plant stress to determine the efficacy of treatments and to precisely track plant growth by the minute.

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Success Stories

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East
Hosted at IALR in October 2022, the debut of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East brought more than 200 producers, educators, scientists, engineers, developers, extension specialists and other industry members together.
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Endophyte Research
A unique venture at the forefront of biostimulant research, the Plant Endophyte Research Center at IALR leverages private and public partnerships and funding to study how endophytes can enhance agricultural production.
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AeroFarms Locates in Danville/Pittsylvania County
One of the leading vertical agriculture companies in the world, New Jersey-based AeroFarms chose to establish the world's largest aeorponic smart farm in the Cane Creek Centre in large part due to the nearby presence of IALR. 
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"“The word “opportunity” epitomizes the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. IALR is a place where students, faculty, researchers, and entrepreneurs are actively working together to reach their full potential. IALR provides the ecosystem where discovery, innovation and commercialization is nurtured and celebrated. The leadership of IALR are invested in…"
VA Tech Students at IALR
Graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering program at Virginia Tech recently visited the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) as part of an ongoing collaboration with IALR. Senior Scientist Scott Lowman is also an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech.
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"I am beyond amazed with the staff and impressed with the technology the research facility has to offer."
Patrick & Henry Community College Visits IALR
Students in John Ayers’ Introduction to Plant Science class toured the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. The course is one of several agribusiness courses offered at Patrick & Henry Community College.
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"I am beyond amazed with the staff and impressed with the technology the research facility has to offer."
Analytical Chemistry and Advanced Materials Testing Services
The Institute works to develop analytical methods for analyzing small molecules as well as natural health and nutraceutical products. This is accomplished by using a variety of analytical techniques including UPLCMS and GCMS.
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"We have been working with IALR through the many growth stages of our company and could not have asked for better partners along the way. IALR's state of the art facilities and talented scientific team have helped us take our RNA technologies from lab to field."
Ameer Shakeel, Founder, CTO / AgroSpheres
"“The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research has proven to be invaluable to the Town of Altavista by helping to bring about a possible closure to the problem of PCB contamination in our communities’ waste water treatment pond. They are truly an asset to our region.”"
Mike Mattox / Mayor of Altavista
"“The word “opportunity” epitomizes the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. IALR is a place where students, faculty, researchers, and entrepreneurs are actively working together to reach their full potential. IALR provides the ecosystem where discovery, innovation and commercialization is nurtured and celebrated. The leadership of IALR are invested in…"
Dr. Guru Ghosh / Virginia Tech
"I am beyond amazed with the staff and impressed with the technology the research facility has to offer."
Emily Barbour / PHCC
"To support our RemRX™ Environmental Solutions’ needs, we have been working with the IALR. IALR’s excellent facilities, equipment, and people are extremely easy to work with extending our value proposition to our current and future customers."
Charles Gause / AxNano & Triad Growth Partners
"AxNano has been working with the Institute since April 2017 on a National Science Foundation-funded program to evaluate the efficacy of AxNano’s groundwater remediation technologies. Yimeng He performed advanced analytical chemistry work, analyzing samples and processing data that was critical to the success of our program. Yimeng was very professional,…"
Dr. Alexis Wells Carpenter / AxNano

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