Kerry L. Ringer
Research
Kerry Ringer’s research focuses on the impacts of winemaking and viticultural techniques on the volatile compounds and volatile precursors found in grapes and wine, particularly the fruity and floral terpenes. With water availability and climate change becoming important issues in Washington State, she is currently analyzing the impact of extreme deficit irrigation treatments on the aroma composition of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and wine, one of the top selling varietals in Washington. Her work also focuses on the genes and enzymes involved in terpene biosynthesis.
Ringer continues to expand the methodology of the antioxidant activity analysis technology she co-developed. She is also interested in the sustainable utilization of fruit and vegetable waste streams through dehydration, focusing now on berries, including blueberry and strawberry, as potential sources for nutritional supplements and food powders for dry mixes.
Extension
As one of Washington State’s Extension Enologists, Ringer is responsible for providing programming for the Washington wine industry, which now comprises over 500 wineries. Her emphasis is on the education of winemakers and winery employees to maintain and improve the quality of Washington wines and the reputation of Washington as a premier producer of wine.
Education
Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 2004
B.S. in Biology, Cum Laude, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 1990
Experience
Kerry Ringer has worked in the food processing, biotechnology and winemaking industries for over 10 years. She received her Ph.D. and held a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Molecular Plant Sciences at Washington State University’s Institute of Biological Chemistry. There, she studied the biosynthesis of terpenes, plant compounds important to humans as aroma compounds and pharmaceuticals.
Her career began after graduating from Western Washington University. She has worked for two major biotechnological companies, before she became interested in wine and food processing. In the mid-90s, Kerry worked at Covey Run Winery when there were only a fraction of the wineries now present in the state. She was involved in the development of a patented dehydration technology, Radiant Zone Drying, as well as a novel method and equipment to quickly and accurately measure total antioxidant activity.
Focused on the production of quality wine and food products, she has held several positions in quality control and assurance, and is currently working to define analytical methods for measuring food quality.
Professional Experience
Assistant Food Scientist / Extension Food Scientist, Department of Food Science, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, WSU, Prosser, WA
Research Associate, Rodney Croteau’s Laboratory, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Director of Research, Columbia PhytoTechnology, LLC, Pullman, WA.
Graduate Research Assistant, Rodney Croteau’s Laboratory, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Scientific Coordinator, Trout Lake Farm, Trout Lake, WA
Quality Assurance Specialist, Epitope, Inc., Portland, OR
Assistant Winemaker/Laboratory Manager, Covey Run Winery, Zillah, WA
Laboratory Technician, Baxter Diagnostics, Inc./Bartels Division, Issaquah, WA
Publications
Davis EM, Ringer KL, Croteau R (In press) Biochemistry, enzymology, and biotechnological potential of monoterpene biosynthesis in Mentha. In American Chemical Society Symposium Proceedings: Genetic Engineering in Flavor Chemistry – Application and Potentials.
Croteau R, Davis EM, Ringer KL, Wildung M (2005) (–)-Menthol biosynthesis and molecular genetics. Naturwissenschaften 92(12):562-577.
Ringer KL, Davis EM, Croteau R (2005) Monoterpene metabolism. Cloning, expression and characterization of (–)-isopiperitenol/(–)-carveol dehydrogenase of peppermint and spearmint. Plant Physiology 137:863-872.
Davis EM, Ringer KL, McConkey ME, Croteau R (2005) Monoterpene metabolism. Cloning, expression, and characterization of menthone reductases from peppermint. Plant Physiology 137:873-881.
Rininger JA, Ringer K, Savarese M (2004) In vitro immunopharmacology of Echinacea. In SC Miller, H Yu, eds, Echinacea – The genus Echinacea, CRC Press, pp 169-180.
Ringer KL, McConkey ME, Davis EM, Rushing GW, Croteau R (2003) Monoterpene double-bond reductases of the (–)-menthol biosynthetic pathway: isolation and characterization of cDNAs encoding (–)-isopiperitenone reductase and (+)-pulegone reductase of peppermint. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 418:80-92.
Manuscripts in Preparation
Ringer KL, Davis EM, Croteau R (Manuscript in preparation) Two amino acid substitutions convert a double-bond reductase to a carbonyl reductase with altered regio- and stereochemical specificities.
Ringer KL, Savarese M (Manuscript in preparation) Electro-Ox, a novel electrochemical method for measuring total antioxidant activity in foods, nutritional supplements, and biological fluids.
Ringer KL, Savarese M (Manuscript in preparation) Radiant Zone Drying, a novel method for drying liquid concentrates.
Patents
Croteau R, Davis EM, Ringer KL, A cDNA clone for menthone reductase (menthol dehydrogenase) and methods for use.
Kerry L. Ringer
Assistant Professor
Office: 24106 Bunn Road
Prosser, WA 99350-8694
Phone: (509) 786-9324
Email: kringer@wsu.edu
Fax: (509) 786-9370