Francisco Omar Holguin obtained his Ph.D in Plant and Environmental Science at New Mexico State University where he is currently an Associate Professor. Omar has an extensive background in plant research where he supports the development of renewable energy and co-products from algae. Prior to obtaining his Ph.D, Omar was employed as a Laboratory Director/Research Chemist at NMSU. In this role he successfully managed an FDA-funded lab which provided crucial data for developing and implementing analytical methods for toxin screening in foods. In addition to his current fellowship role with Trait, Omar educates fellow researchers and students on utilizing current methods and developing novel methods for the quantitative analysis of metabolites and proteins in plants, animals, and microorganisms.