Professor Al-Babili is currently focused on deciphering the biosynthesis and diverse functions of known apocarotenoid hormones and signaling molecules, as well as discovering new ones. The knowledge thereby obtained is used to engineer crops with improved performance. His group employs a multidisciplinary approach that integrates enzymology, analytical chemistry, genetic engineering, and gene editing to achieve these goals. Committed to translating basic scientific discoveries into practical applications, he leads an international consortium funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to combat the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica in sub-Saharan Africa and has developed hormone-based biostimulants for direct field application.