plant biology research

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• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

• Research - Plant Biology

Humankind depends on plant growth and productivity not only for human sustenance, but also for alternatives to fossil fuel or nuclear energy. In addition, plants are important for climate stability, and are a key resource for discovering new macromolecules that have applications in medicine and other important fields. Here at the Department of Biology, plant Researchers make use of reference species as well as ecologically important plant species employing both high throughput analyses as well as classical tools to address these questions and to generate basic knowledge about plant form and function.

Kimberly Gallagher

Professor of Biology Chair of Biology

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Brian D. Gregory

Professor of Biology

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Brent Helliker

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Aman Husbands

Mitchell J. Blutt and Margo Krody Blutt Presidential Assistant Professor of Biology

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Scott Poethig

John H. and Margaret B. Fassitt Professor

[email protected] 215-898-8915

Doris Wagner

DiMaura Professor of Biology

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Corlett Wood

Assistant Professor of Biology

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College of Biological Sciences

Department of Plant Biology

The Department of Plant Biology is the central hub on campus for pioneering research on plants. The department mission is to comprehensively understand fundamental plant biological processes and develop real-world applications in agriculture and biotechnology. The department specializes in three main research areas: plant developmental biology and physiology, plant-environment and inter-organismal interactions, and plant biochemistry and metabolism. Faculty explore diverse organisms, ranging from algae to higher plants including many major food and bioenergy crops. In addition to employing classical genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology, our faculty include experts in cutting-edge omics, systems and synthetic biology, imaging, X-ray crystallography and single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). We integrate these approaches to address various fundamental questions in plant biology and translate the knowledge to make advancements in crop improvement, natural product engineering, and other bio-based technologies. 

Undergraduate Programs

Graduate programs.

CBS Graduate Groups

Faculty in the department participate in one or more of the college’s eight interdisciplinary graduate groups, which range widely in topic, opportunity and faculty expertise, and offer graduate students an immersive, highly collaborative graduate experience. 

Botanical Conservatory

The Botanical Conservatory, founded in 1959, is a 3,600 square-foot complex north of Storer Hall that serves as an educational facility, research resource, and genetic diversity preserve, housing over 4,000 plant species from around the world.

Controlled Environment Facility

The department's controlled environment facilities are specialized spaces that allow researchers to precisely regulate temperature, humidity, light, and airflow to support research work with a variety of plants and other organisms.

Research Greenhouses

The department's research greenhouses encompass a diverse array of 22 greenhouses, a screenhouse, and 13,000 square feet of field space. These facilities support research on various plant species.

Teaching Greenhouses

The teaching greenhouse atop Katherine Esau Science Hall is an innovative facility where faculty and students conduct research, nurture plants, and explore cutting-edge techniques to enhance crop abundance, nutrition, and plant resilience.

SPECIALTY GRAND CHALLENGE article

Plant biology research: what is next.

• Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States

Plant biology is a key area of science that bears major weight in the mankind's ongoing and future efforts to combat the consequences of global warming, climate change, pollution, and population growth. An in-depth understanding of plant physiology is paramount to our ability to optimize current agricultural practices, to develop new crop varieties, or to implement biotechnological innovations in agriculture. The next-generation cultivars would have to withstand environmental contamination and a wider range of growth temperatures, soil nutrients and moisture levels and effectively deal with growing pathogen pressures to continue to yield well in even suboptimal conditions.

What are the next big questions in plant physiology, and plant biology in general, and what avenues of research should we be investigating and training students in for the next decade? As a plant scientist surrounded by like-minded individuals, I hear a lot of ideas that over time turn into buzz words, such as plant resilience, genotype-to-phenotype, data science, systems biology, biosensing, synthetic biology, neural networks, robustness, interdisciplinary training, new tool development, modeling, etc. What does it all mean and what are the main challenges that we should all be working on solving? Herein, I present my personal perspective on what the immediate questions and the biggest longer-term issues in plant science are. I suggest some themes and directions for future research in plant biology, some relatively obvious and some potentially unique, having been shaped by my own professional interests, experiences and the background in plant molecular genetics and physiology.

Integration, Packaging, Visualization and Interpretation of Existing OMICS and Genetic Data

For the past three decades, a lot of emphasis has been made on a small set of plant model organisms, primarily on Arabidopsis. There is no other plant on earth we know as much about as we do about this mustard weed. One clear need in the area of plant sciences is to make sense of the vast amount of descriptive phenotypic data that have been generated for this species and a handful of others—the transcriptome, metabolome, proteome, phenome, interactome, etc.—and the amazing genetic resources that have been built: mutants, transgenic lines and natural accession germplasm collections, tools and protocols, genomic sequences and other resources ( Koorneef and Meinke, 2010 ). Now, how do we organize these data into a series of integrated, comprehensive, user-friendly, cross-communicating databases that are easily accessible, searchable, trackable, and visual, with data that are downloadable and compatible with comparative analyses? How do we display the available data at a variety of scales, from the subcellular to the organismal and population level—think Google Earth but for an ecosystem or an agricultural field that allows you to zoom in and out to see the overview and the closeup—perhaps, by integrating and expanding existing initiative likes Plant Cell Atlas and ePlant ( Waese et al., 2017 ; Rhee et al., 2019 )? With the genome sequences of these select organisms in hand, often of multiple accessions of each, what can we learn about the genotype-to-phenotype relations? How can we use that knowledge to extrapolate the rules or patterns we discover in model organisms to species for which we have no experimental data beyond possibly a draft-quality genomic sequence and a few fragmentary phenotypic datasets? In other words, can the data obtained in reference organisms be leveraged to infer useful information relevant to a wide range of species of agricultural, ecological or, perhaps, ethnobotanical importance? Let's look into some examples of that.

Translational Research: Moving Foundational Discoveries From Models to Crops

It comes as no surprise that for the past 10–20 years the emphasis has been gradually shifting from Arabidopsis to non-model organisms, including crops and rare plant species. The key reason for that is the pressing need to move fast on crop improvement and plant conservation in light of the worlds' fast-growing population, climate change, pollution, habitat and agricultural land loss, and ever-increasing pathogen pressures. This shift of research focus is also steered by changing governmental policies and funders' priorities. To make the transition to studying crops and other non-models as smooth as possible, robust computational pipelines are needed that produce high-quality genome assemblies from combinations of short- and long-read sequences. In this regard, tackling the much more complex genomes of polyploid species presents an even greater challenge. With the genome sequences and high-quality assembles on hand, orthologous genes that have previously been studied only in reference organisms need to be tested for function in candidate processes in the non-model species of interest to determine what aspects of their function are conserved and what features are divergent. The key bottleneck in this process is, of course, the recalcitrance of many non-models to genetic transformation and plant regeneration ( Anjanappa and Gruissem, 2021 ). Thus, a major effort would need to be invested into new method development to improve the plant in vitro culturing, genetic transformation and regeneration pipelines, with the ectopic activation of morphogenesis genes like BABY BOOM, WUSCHEL, LEAFY COTYLEDON1 and 2 , and several others holding major promise for boosting the regeneration efficiency of otherwise recalcitrant plant species and cultivars ( Gordon-Kamm et al., 2019 ). Further optimization of genome editing technologies, including classical gene disruption through indels as well as more targeted gene edits via base- and prime-editing or homologous-recombination-based methods, should enable highly tailored manipulation of genes of interest. The foundational knowledge gained in both model and non-model organisms can then be leveraged by applied plant biologists and environmentalists in crop improvement and plant conservation.

Interpreting the Code

One aspect of experimental research we have become good at over the past 10 years is genome and transcriptome sequencing. The current challenge is to learn to infer what the sequence tells us about what a gene does and how it is regulated based on the code alone. Can we look at gene's genomic sequence and infer not only the gene function, but also the different levels of gene regulation, all from just the sequence without any additional experimentation? To elaborate on that distinction between function and regulation, we can already infer the likely function of an orthologous gene in a crop (previously studied in another species) based on the degree of conservation of its genomic sequence, and deduce, for instance, an enzymatic reaction a protein may catalyze, or a DNA element a transcription factor may bind, or a specific ion the channel may transport, or an array of ligands or other molecules a protein may interact with. What we cannot yet reliably do is to predict based on the gene sequence alone when and where the gene is transcribed and what environmental or developmental stimuli alter its expression, how stable its transcript is, what splicing patterns the transcript has in specific cell types or conditions, or what factors dictate these patterns, or how well the transcript is translated, how the protein folds, where in the cell the protein is targeted, what its half-life is, and so on. Can we someday look at the gene sequence and predict whether the gene is essential or what organ or tissues will be affected in the loss- or gain-of-function mutant, and what phenotype the mutant will show, all without having to run an experiment? Once we learn to do that for a diploid model plant, can the knowledge be translated to polyploids that may have a greater level of gene redundancy and potentially more cases of neofunctionalization? How do we gain that extraordinary power?

One of the critical components of the inferring-the-function or genotype-to-phenotype challenge will involve machine learning and neural network models, with the size and quality of the training datasets presenting as the likely bottleneck that would determine the accuracy of neural networks' predictions ( Ching et al., 2018 ). While the role of computational biologists in this endeavor would be to develop new algorithms or adapt existing pipelines and test the models, the irreplaceable function of experimental plant biologists in this effort will be to generate the most complete and robust datasets for model training. This inevitably brings us to the next big theme, data quality.

Data Quality: Standardization, Reliability, Robustness and Tracking

As experimental scientists, most if not all of us have had the negative experience of not being able to reproduce an important result (sometimes even our own) or confirm the identity of a material someone has shared with us (e.g., a strain, a plasmid, or a seed stock from a colleague or another lab). Issues with biological variation (e.g., differences in germination between seed batches), small sample size (due to prohibitive cost, time or material constraints, or other limitations), human error (suboptimal labeling nomenclature, poor tracking, inadequate record keeping, substandard experimental design, miscalculation, personnel changes, or outright sloppiness) or malfunctioning instrumentation (in many cases, due to the lack of funding or time to upkeep or upgrade the equipment) can all contribute to the limited reproducibility of experimental data or sample mix-up. Rarely is the wrongdoing intentional, but the consequences of these errors can be enormous. What can we do to minimize mistakes, standardize internal lab protocols and record keeping, and ultimately improve the reproducibility of published data? I would support a universal funder's mandate for detailed electronic note keeping (much like private companies require), automatic data backups and regular equipment upgrades, meticulous planning before an experiment is run (including developing a comprehensive sample labeling nomenclature, beyond the common 1, 2, 3), inclusion of universal controls (e.g., Arabidopsis Columbia accession included in every Arabidopsis experiment irrespective of what other germplasm is being tested), extensive sample replication, validation of the results at multiple steps in the process (like Sanger sequencing of construct intermediates), and other common-sense but often time-consuming practices (such as regrowing all genotypes side by side and using fresh seed stocks in an experiment to minimize seed batch effects, or resequencing every construct before donating it to the stock center or sharing it with others).

A different yet related constraint we often encounter in plant sciences is the inability to track and/or obtain the materials or datasets reported by other research groups or oftentimes even by prior members of one's own lab. To ensure the long-term availability and unrestricted access to published constructs, germplasm, omics datasets and other resources generated by the public sector, funding agencies should make it mandatory for all materials and data to be deposited in relevant stock centers, sequence repositories, etc. immediately upon publication. I often wonder whether this practice could be encouraged if one's scientific productivity and impact were to be evaluated not only by the number of papers published, but also by the number of stocks or datasets deposited and their usage by the community (e.g., the frequency of stock orders or data downloads). Publishers, on the other hand, should fully enforce the old rules that all submitted manuscripts must adhere to the established guidelines for proper scientific nomenclature (e.g., gene accession numbers, mutant names, or chemical structures) and include community access codes (e.g., gene identifiers, mutant stock numbers, Genbank accession codes, etc.) and detailed annotations for all materials and data utilized or generated in a study, with the compliance being a prerequisite for publication. These simple steps would reduce ambiguities, facilitate resource tracking, and make published materials and datasets universally available.

The extra effort invested into careful experiment planning, execution, record keeping, and making published materials and datasets trackable and accessible will undoubtedly lead to fewer but higher-quality research papers being published and ultimately save time and resources down the road. Of course, an external mandate for greater rigor and accountability would also mean the need for funding agencies to financially support the extra effort and develop ways to monitor the labs' adherence to the new stricter rigor and dissemination practices, but it is commonsense that in the long run it is cheaper to do the experiment right the first time around than waste years trying to reproduce or follow up on erroneous data or remaking the resource that has been generated previously.

Synthetic Biology

An exciting and highly promising area of sciences that plant biologists are starting to embrace more widely is synthetic biology. First, what is synthetic biology? To a plant biologist, it is a useful extension of classical molecular genetics that integrates basic engineering principles and aims to rebuild biology from the ground up. Traditionally, classically trained biologists approach learning about nature from top to bottom, much like a curious child trying to break a toy apart to see what it is made of. Synthetic biologists, vice versa, try to rebuild a functional system from its pieces to understand what its minimal required components are. In plant biology, we are still very far from being able to rebuild entire plants or plant cells from scratch, but we can reconstitute the pathways, e.g., those that we have previously studied in their native context, in a heterologous host cell, aka the chassis, or introduce simple gene regulatory circuits we have artificially built. Why would we want to do that? For one, to see if we can recreate the native behavior to ensure that we fully understand the pathway or the mechanism of regulation. In addition, this can be a useful endeavor from a practical perspective, as is the case in metabolic engineering, where a native or semi-synthetic biosynthetic pathway is expressed in a heterologous host (an intact plant or a cell suspension) to produce a valuable metabolite ( Lu et al., 2016 ; Birchfield and McIntosh, 2020 ), or in biosensing, where a synthetic genetic construct is introduced to turn the host into a bio-detector for a particular stimulus or ligand of interest, e.g., a metabolite ( Garagounis et al., 2021 ).

We do not fully comprehend what we cannot ourselves recreate. We may know, for example, that a gene is induced, for example, by heat stress, but that observation does not tell us anything about the developmental regulation of that gene, or what other biotic or abiotic factors control this gene's expression. An illustrative example of how limited our current knowledge is and how synthetic biology can help us to bypass the lack of comprehensive understanding is to try the following mental exercise. How would one go about conferring a desired pattern of expression to a gene of interest, so that the gene is transcribed, for example, only in a flower, in the anthers at a particular stage of flower development, and only in response to heat stress? If we are talking about a model organism, we can scavenge available transcriptomic data in hopes of finding a native gene with such a pattern, but chances are that most anther-enriched genes will be expressed elsewhere and/or will be regulated by stimuli other than the heat stress. With the vast amount of transcriptomic data and limited ChIP-seq, DAP-seq and chromatin availability data (ATAC-seq, DNase-seq, etc.), we still have no reliable ways to infer transcription patterns of a native gene across all tissues and conditions. A combination of bioinformatic analysis (to identify putative transcription factor binding sites based on sequence conservation) ( Zemlyanskaya et al., 2021 ), classical transgene promoter bashing (that involves building a series of transgenes with chunks of the promoter deleted or replaced in an effort to characterize the effect of these targeted DNA modifications on the expression of a reporter gene in a systematic manner) ( Andersson and Sandelin, 2020 ), and/or more recently, in planta promoter bashing via genome editing (i.e., generating targeted promoter modifications directly in the native genomic context) ( Pandiarajan and Grover, 2018 ) are often relied upon to identify regulatory cis -elements in the promoters of interest. However, these approaches will not be enough to identify the full array of the DNA cis -elements that dictate the spatiotemporal regulation of a gene of interest, but these strategies may be helpful at pinpointing some candidate cis -elements and experimentally validating which elements are required.

If a particular DNA element is experimentally shown to be necessary, let's say, for heat stress upregulation, the next step is to test if the element is sufficient. This could be done by building a tandem of these elements, making a synthetic proximal promoter and placing it upstream of a well-characterized core promoter like that of 35S to drive a reporter ( Ali and Kim, 2019 ). In the best-case scenario, if we are successful with finding an element that can confer heat-inducible expression to the reporter, we have no easy way of restricting this heat-activated expression to just the anthers, let alone at a specific stage of anther development. Even if we had another DNA element at hand that confers tissue-specific expression (in this example, in anthers), we have no straightforward way of implementing what computer scientists would view as the Boolean AND logic—to combine these DNA elements (e.g., in a single proximal promoter) in a manner that the transcription of the gene will now only be triggered specifically in anthers in response to heat, but not in any other conditions or tissues. Synthetic biology makes the implementation of that AND logic (and other types of Boolean logic gates) possible, e.g., through the use of heterodimeric transcription factors, with one monomer active in anthers (through the use of an anther-specific promoter) and another monomer expressed only in response to heat stress (through the use of a heat-regulated promoter) ( Figure 1 ). In this scenario, the full heterodimeric transcription factor would only be reconstituted in the anthers of heat-treated plants and will activate its target genes only in those flower tissues specifically under heat stress.

Figure 1 . An example of a hypothetical genetic Boolean logic AND gate. AB is a heterodimeric transcription factor. If subunit A is expressed in anthers and subunit B is inducible by heat, the full transcription factor is reconstituted only in heat-stressed anthers. The AND logic restricts the expression of the output gene of interest specifically to the tissues and conditions where/when both A and B are-co-expressed.

Thus, synthetic biology enables us to build genetic devices capable of controlling specific processes of interest despite the lack of the full mechanistic understanding of all the moving parts in those processes. In the near future, more and more plant biologists will adopt synthetic biology as a powerful way to bypass some of the technical bottlenecks in plant sciences. Who knows, someday futuristic concepts of a minimal plant genome and a minimal plant cell ( Yang et al., 2020 ) may even become a reality. How soon will we have a thorough enough understanding of plant molecular genetics and physiology, so that we can determine the minimal set of genes to make a functional plant that can stay alive in a single stable (optimal) environment? What would we need to add to the minimal system to make the plant now capable of responding to stress and thriving in less-than-optimal conditions? Although one would agree that we have a very long way before we can get there, it is not too early to start thinking about those more ambitious projects, while working on still very difficult but more achievable shorter-term goals where synthetic biology will play a central role, such as developing nitrogen-fixing cereal crops ( Bloch et al., 2020 ) or C4 rice ( Ermakova et al., 2020 ).

Other Directions and Concluding Remarks

Several other areas relevant to plant sciences will have paramount importance to our ability to propel plant biology research forward. Advanced automated high-throughput imaging and phenotyping will provide a more systematic, robust way to collect reliable morphometric data on a diversity of plant species in the lab, the greenhouse, and the field. New computational tool development and the implementation of novel experimental methods, along with the optimization and streamlining of existing tools and protocols, will remain the main driver of research progress, with single-cell omics approaches likely taking center stage for the next few years. Data science will play an even more predominant role given the vast amount of new data being generated and the need to handle and make sense of all that information. Systems-level approaches, mathematical modeling and machine learning will become a more integral part of plant biology research, enabling scientists to systematize and prioritize complex data and provide plant researchers with experimentally testable predictions.

If we want to see the breakthroughs we are making at the bench or in the field implemented in real-life products, we also need to work on shifting the public perception of biotechnologies. Critical steps toward rebuilding public trust in science include a greater understanding of the societal impacts of proposed innovations through collaboration with social scientists, the engagement of researchers with the science policy making process, and the active participation of all scientists (students, postdocs, technicians, faculty, industry professionals, etc.) in community outreach programs to make our work—and its implications—accessible to the general public. Lastly, one essential factor that would make the scientific advancements sustainable in the long run is a generous investment into the robust, trans-disciplinary training of the next generation of plant scientists. Our ability to create a welcoming environment for trainees from all backgrounds and paths of life would allow these students and postdocs to feel that their research team is their second family. Today's trainees are the ones who will be solving the world's pressing issues for years to come. Our ability to provide young scientists with the solid knowledge base and diverse skills would ensure that they are well equipped to take on the next big challenge.

Looking ahead, fundamental research on model organisms, applied work on crops, and conservation studies on rare plants will all continue to be of vital importance to modern plant biology. High-throughput inquiries and gene-specific projects done by mega-groups and small labs in state-of-the-art facilities or traditional field labs will all remain indispensable to the progress of plant sciences. In the end, addressing pressing societal issues like feeding the world's growing population and mitigating climate change ultimately rests on our ability as scientists to come together and harness the power of plants. Plant biology research is positioned to play a central role in this critical endeavor. It is an exciting and urgent time to be—or become—a plant scientist.

Author Contributions

The author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and has approved it for publication.

The work in the Stepanova lab is supported by the National Science Foundation grants NSF 1750006, NSF 1444561, NSF 1940829.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: plant biology, plant physiology, synthetic biology, translational research, data reproducibility

Citation: Stepanova AN (2021) Plant Biology Research: What Is Next? Front. Plant Sci. 12:749104. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.749104

Received: 05 August 2021; Accepted: 06 September 2021; Published: 30 September 2021.

Edited and reviewed by: Joshua L. Heazlewood , The University of Melbourne, Australia

Copyright © 2021 Stepanova. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Anna N. Stepanova, atstepan@ncsu.edu

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Drought is a serious threat to global food security. In upstream research, crop drought-tolerant traits are often studied under extreme drought conditions, which can seem irrelevant in the eyes of breeders.

Deciphering the mechanisms of gene silencing induced by triplet-repeat expansions

A triplet repeat expansion in Arabidopsis induces gene silencing that results in a severe growth defect. We show that an interplay between a SUMO protease and histone readers of active and inactive marks is required for this gene silencing, which highlights the importance of post-translational modifiers in chromatin remodelling.

Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web

In this Perspective, Vincent Merckx and colleagues discuss an important but overlooked aspect of mycorrhizal interactions, mycoheterotrophy, in the context of recent arguments about the importance of these interactions to forest functioning.

• Vincent S. F. T. Merckx
• Sofia I. F. Gomes
• Martin I. Bidartondo

SUMO protease FUG1, histone reader AL3 and chromodomain protein LHP1 are integral to repeat expansion-induced gene silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana

Repeat expansions can induce gene silencing exemplified by growth defects in plants to genetic diseases in humans. This paper shows key roles for post-translational modifiers, histone readers and the polycomb repressive complex in this gene silencing.

• Sridevi Sureshkumar
• Champa Bandaranayake
• Sureshkumar Balasubramanian

Uncovering drivers of global tree diversity

Plant species diversity declines from tropical to temperate latitudes. Local neighbourhood interactions among species that favour heterospecifics over conspecifics may have a role in shaping this latitudinal diversity gradient, but perhaps not as traditionally thought.

• Joseph A. LaManna

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Plant jumping genes: celebrating the legacy of Barbara McClintock

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Transcriptome profiles reveal response mechanisms and key role of PsNAC1 in Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica to drought stress

Drought stress severely impedes plant growth, and only a limited number of species exhibit long-term resistance to such conditions. Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica , a dominant tree species in arid and semi-arid r...

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Discovery of gene regulation mechanisms associated with uniconazole-induced cold tolerance in banana using integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis

The gibberellic acid (GA) inhibitor, uniconazole, is a plant growth regulator commonly used in banana cultivation to promote dwarfing but also enhances the cold resistance in plants. However, the mechanism of ...

Genome‑wide identification and expression analysis of the UBC gene family in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)

Ubiquitination is an important regulatory step of selective protein degradation in the plant UPS (ubiquitin–proteasome system), which is involved in various biological processes in eukaryotes. Ubiquitin-conjug...

Impacts of continuous cropping on the rhizospheric and endospheric microbial communities and root exudates of Astragalus mongholicus

Astragalus mongholicus is a medicinal plant that is known to decrease in quality in response to continuous cropping. However, the differences in the root-associated microbiome and root exudates in the rhizosphere...

Plant immunity suppression by an β-1,3-glucanase of the maize anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola

Many phytopathogens secrete a large number of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) to decompose host cell walls in order to penetrate the host, obtain nutrients and accelerate colonization. There is a wide vari...

Genetic analysis and QTL mapping for pericarp thickness in maize ( Zea mays L.)

Proper pericarp thickness protects the maize kernel against pests and diseases, moreover, thinner pericarp improves the eating quality in fresh corn. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dynamic changes ...

Characterization of the olive endophytic community in genotypes displaying a contrasting response to Xylella fastidiosa

Endophytes mediate the interactions between plants and other microorganisms, and the functional aspects of interactions between endophytes and their host that support plant-growth promotion and tolerance to st...

Correction: High-throughput diagnostic markers for foliar fungal disease resistance and high oleic acid content in groundnut

The original article was published in BMC Plant Biology 2024 24 :262

Integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses reveal the role of BoGSTF12 in anthocyanin accumulation in Chinese kale ( Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra )

The vivid red, purple, and blue hues that are observed in a variety of plant fruits, flowers, and leaves are produced by anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring pigments produced by a series of biochemical...

In silico analysis of the wheat BBX gene family and identification of candidate genes for seed dormancy and germination

B-box (BBX) proteins are a type of zinc finger proteins containing one or two B-box domains. They play important roles in development and diverse stress responses of plants, yet their roles in wheat remain unc...

Circadian rhythm response and its effect on photosynthetic characteristics of the Lhcb family genes in tea plant

The circadian clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, is responsible for predicting daily and seasonal changes in the environment, and adjusting various physiological and developmental processes to the appr...

Comparative transcriptome revealed the molecular responses of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. to downy mildew at different stages of disease development

Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. has been widely used as a traditional medicinal herb for a long history in China. It is highly susceptible to various dangerous diseases during the cultivation process. Downy mildew is...

Twelve newly assembled jasmine chloroplast genomes: unveiling genomic diversity, phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary patterns among Oleaceae and Jasminum species

Jasmine ( Jasminum ), renowned for its ornamental value and captivating fragrance, has given rise to numerous species and accessions. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the evolutionary relationships among...

Gene expression analysis of drought tolerance and cuticular wax biosynthesis in diploid and tetraploid induced wallflowers

Whole-genome doubling leads to cell reprogramming, upregulation of stress genes, and establishment of new pathways of drought stress responses in plants. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of dro...

GMOIT: a tool for effective screening of genetically modified crops

Advancement in agricultural biotechnology has resulted in increasing numbers of commercial varieties of genetically modified (GM) crops worldwide. Though several databases on GM crops are available, these data...

Correction: Integrated transcriptomic and WGCNA analyses reveal candidate genes regulating mainly flavonoid biosynthesis in Litsea coreana var. Sinensis

The original article was published in BMC Plant Biology 2024 24 :231

The pathogenicity of Plasmopara viticola : a review of evolutionary dynamics, infection strategies and effector molecules

Oomycetes are filamentous organisms that resemble fungi in terms of morphology and life cycle, primarily due to convergent evolution. The success of pathogenic oomycetes lies in their ability to adapt and over...

Overexpression of the WRKY transcription factor gene NtWRKY65 enhances salt tolerance in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum )

Salt stress severely inhibits plant growth, and the WRKY family transcription factors play important roles in salt stress resistance. In this study, we aimed to characterize the role of tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum

Leaf ecological stoichiometry and anatomical structural adaptation mechanisms of Quercus sect. Heterobalanus in southeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

With the dramatic uplift of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the increase in altitude in the Pliocene, the environment became dry and cold, thermophilous plants that originally inhabited ancient subtropical...

Study of cabbage antioxidant system response on early infection stage of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Black rot, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ( Xcc ) significantly affects the production of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. Plant antioxidant system plays an important role in pathogen inva...

Adaptive strategies based on shrub leaf-stem anatomy and their environmental interpretations in the eastern Qaidam Basin

Water stress seriously affects the survival of plants in natural ecosystems. Plant resistance to water stress relies on adaptive strategies, which are mainly based on plant anatomy with following relevant func...

Control of leaf development in the water fern Ceratopteris richardii by the auxin efflux transporter CrPINMa in the CRISPR/Cas9 analysis

PIN-FORMED genes ( PIN s) are crucial in plant development as they determine the directionality of auxin flow. They are present in almost all land plants and even in green algae. However, their role in fern develop...

Overexpression of OsNAR2.1 by OsNAR2.1 promoter increases drought resistance by increasing the expression of OsPLDα1 in rice

pOsNAR2.1:OsNAR2.1 expression could significantly increase nitrogen uptake efficiency and grain yield of rice.

Strigolactones affect the yield of Tartary buckwheat by regulating endogenous hormone levels

As a newly class of endogenous phytohormones, strigolactones (SLs) regulate crop growth and yield formation by interacting with other hormones. However, the physiological mechanism of SLs affect the yield by r...

Integrated genome-wide association and transcriptomic analysis to identify receptor kinase genes to stripe rust resistance in wheat germplasm from southwestern China

Stripe rust of wheat, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst ), is one of the most important diseases of wheat worldwide. Identification of new and elite Pst -resistance loci or genes has the potential ...

Functional analysis of a wheat class III peroxidase gene, TaPer12-3A , in seed dormancy and germination

Class III peroxidases (PODs) perform crucial functions in various developmental processes and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, their roles in wheat seed dormancy (SD) and germination remain e...

Investigating foliar application of bulk and nanoparticles titanium dioxide on fennel productivity to mitigate the negative effects of saline irrigation water

Fennel essential oils are fragrance compounds used in food and pharmaceutical sectors. One of the major impediments to expansion of fennel farming in Egypt's reclamation areas is saline water. Titanium dioxide...

Identification of QTNs, QTN-by-environment interactions, and their candidate genes for salt tolerance related traits in soybean

Salt stress significantly reduces soybean yield. To improve salt tolerance in soybean, it is important to mine the genes associated with salt tolerance traits.

Identification and characterization of functionally relevant SSR markers in natural Dalbergia odorifera populations

Dalbergia odorifera is a rare and precious rosewood specie, which is valued for its amber tones, abstract figural patterns, and impermeability to water and insects. However, the information on genetic diversity a...

Investigating the synergistic effects of biochar, trans-zeatin riboside, and Azospirillum brasilense on soil improvement and enzymatic activity in water-stressed wheat

Water stress is a major danger to crop yield, hence new approaches to strengthen plant resilience must be developed. To lessen the negative effects of water stress on wheat plants, present study was arranged t...

Systematic characterization of Gossypium GLN family genes reveals a potential function of GhGLN1.1a regulates nitrogen use efficiency in cotton

The enzyme glutamine synthetase ( GLN ) is mainly responsible for the assimilation and reassimilation of nitrogen (N) in higher plants. Although the GLN gene has been identified in various plants, there is little i...

Genome-wide characterization of DNA methyltransferase family genes implies GhDMT6 improving tolerance of salt and drought on cotton

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mode of genomic DNA modification and plays a vital role in maintaining epigenetic content and regulating gene expression. Cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase ( C5-MTase) are...

Genome-wide identification and evolutionary analysis of the NRAMP gene family in the AC genomes of Brassica species

Brassica napus , a hybrid resulting from the crossing of Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea , is one of the most important oil crops. Despite its significance, B. napus productivity faces substantial challenges du...

The application potential of mepiquat chloride in soybean: improvement of yield characteristics and drought resistance

Drought can result in yield losses, the application of plant growth regulators is an effective measure to improve drought resistance and yield. The objective of the study was to explore the application potenti...

Biochemical characterization of acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase2 from the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and its potential effect on LC-PUFAs biosynthesis in planta

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), belonging to ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LC-PUFAs), are essential components of human diet. They are mainly supplemented by marine...

Comparative physiological, biochemical, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses reveal the formation mechanism of heartwood for Acacia melanoxylon

Acacia melanoxylon is well known as a valuable commercial tree species owing to its high-quality heartwood (HW) products. However, the metabolism and regulatory mechanism of heartwood during wood development rema...

Analyzing genetic diversity in luffa and developing a Fusarium wilt-susceptible linked SNP marker through a single plant genome-wide association (sp-GWAS) study

Luffa ( Luffa spp.) is an economically important crop of the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly known as sponge gourd or vegetable gourd. It is an annual cross-pollinated crop primarily found in the subtropical and tr...

Effect of genotyping errors on linkage map construction based on repeated chip analysis of two recombinant inbred line populations in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)

Linkage maps are essential for genetic mapping of phenotypic traits, gene map-based cloning, and marker-assisted selection in breeding applications. Construction of a high-quality saturated map requires high-q...

Characterization of SIPs-type aquaporins and their roles in response to environmental cues in rice ( Oryza sativa L. )

Aquaporins (AQPs) facilitate water diffusion across biological membranes and are involved in all phases of growth and development. Small and basic intrinsic proteins (SIPs) belong to the fourth subfamily of th...

Biochar enhances the growth and physiological characteristics of Medicago sativa , Amaranthus caudatus and Zea mays in saline soils

Biochar is a promising solution to alleviate the negative impacts of salinity stress on agricultural production. Biochar derived from food waste effect was investigated on three plant species, Medicago sativa , Am...

Dynamic changes in the plastid and mitochondrial genomes of the angiosperm Corydalis pauciovulata (Papaveraceae)

Corydalis DC., the largest genus in the family Papaveraceae, comprises > 465 species. Complete plastid genomes (plastomes) of  Corydalis  show evolutionary changes, including syntenic arrangements, gene losses and ...

Green-fabricated silver nanoparticles from Quercus incana leaf extract to control the early blight of tomatoes caused by Alternaria solani

Early blight (EB) of Tomatoes, caused by Alternaria solani , is a serious fungal disease that adversely affects tomato production. Infection is characterized by dark lesions on leaves, stems, and fruits. Several a...

Genetic potential and inheritance pattern of agronomic traits in faba bean under free and infested Orobanche soil conditions

Orobanche is an obligate parasite on faba bean in the Mediterranean region, causes considerable yield losses. Breeding tolerant faba bean genotypes to Orobanche is pivotal to sustain production and ensuring globa...

Ecotoxicological assessment of cigarette butts on morphology and photosynthetic potential of Azolla pinnata

Cigarette butts (CBs) have become the most ubiquitous form of anthropogenic litter globally. CBs contain various hazardous chemicals that persist in the environment for longer period. These substances are susc...

High-nitrogen fertilizer alleviated adverse effects of drought stress on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Hosta ‘Guacamole’

Several plants are facing drought stress due to climate change in recent years. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of varying watering frequency on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Host...

TIP aquaporins in Cyperus esculentus : genome-wide identification, expression profiles, subcellular localizations, and interaction patterns

Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), which typically mediate water transport across vacuolar membranes, play an essential role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, their characterizatio...

QTL mapping for the flag leaf-related traits using RILs derived from Trititrigia germplasm line SN304 and wheat cultivar Yannong15 in multiple environments

Developing and enriching genetic resources plays important role in the crop improvement. The flag leaf affects plant architecture and contributes to the grain yield of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). The genetic im...

The sequential microbial breakdown of pectin is the principal incident during water retting of jute ( Corchorus spp.) bast fibres

The extraction of bast fibres such as jute from plant stems involves the removal of pectin, hemicellulose, and other noncellulosic materials through a complex microbial community. A consortium of pectinolytic ...

Characterization of a wheat stable QTL for spike length and its genetic effects on yield-related traits

Spike length (SL) is one of the most important agronomic traits affecting yield potential and stability in wheat. In this study, a major stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) for SL, i.e., qSl-2B , was detected in...

Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with leaf rust resistance in rye by precision mapping

Leaf rust (LR) is among the most destructive fungal diseases of rye ( Secale cereale L.). Despite intensive research using various analytical and methodological approaches, such as quantitative trait locus (QTL) m...

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School of Integrative Plant Science

Research: Plant Biology

The Plant Biology Section is home to some of the most influential plant science research in the world.  The Section represents diverse intellectual interests and boasts a collaborative community culture. Including emeritus professors, there are three members of the National Academy of Sciences. Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers can join field-leading faculty as they study a wide range of research areas and concentrations in plant sciences.

Research Areas in Plant Biology

Maureen Hanson 323 Biotechnology Building 607-254-4833

Gene expression in plant organelles; chloroplast movement and cell biology

Maria Harrison 405 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-6472

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; plant phosphate transport and nutrition; root biology

Li Li 140 Robert Holley Center 607-255-5708

Regulation of plant secondary and micronutrient metabolism

Wojciech Pawlowski 401 Bradfield Hall 607-254-8745

Plant molecular biology; meiosis mechanisms of chromosome pairing and recombination

Eric Richards 125 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-4676

Epigenetics of Arabidopsis

Adrienne Roeder 239 Weill Hall 607-255-4467

Role of cell division and growth in plant development and patterning

Jocelyn Rose 331 Emerson Hall 607-255-4781

Structure, function and evolution of plant cell polymer networks; polysaccharide and cuticle matrices; cell wall biotechnology

Klaas van Wijk 332 Emerson Hall 607-255-3664

Chloroplast biogenesis; proteomics; mass spectrometry; Arabidopsis; biochemistry

Thomas Björkman Horticulture Science Cornell AgriTech

Developmental physiology; environmental regulation and root development

Susheng Gan 119 Plant Science 607-255-6088

Genomics, regulation and biotechnology of senescence; post-harvest biology

James Giovannoni 429 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-1259

Molecular and genetic analysis of tomato fruit ripening

Jian Hua 158 Emerson Hall 607-255-5554

Genetics of temperature responses in plants; regulation of plant defense responses

Gregory Martin 327 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-1208

Disease resistance; signal transduction; genomics; applications of genetic engineering

Michael Scanlon Plant Science 607-254-1156

Plant development; meristem function; evolution of leaf morphology

Chelsea Specht 502 Mann Library

Systematics and evolution of plants especially tropical monocots. Developmental evolution of plant traits associated with speciation and diversification.

Robert Turgeon 256 Plant Science 607-255-8395

Phloem transport; carbohydrate synthesis; phloem loading; plasmodesmata

Jeff J. Doyle 404 Mann Library 607-255-7972

Molecular systematics and evolution

Georg Jander 407 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-1365

Plant-insect interactions; plant amino acid biosynthesis; plant biochemistry

Susan McCouch 162 Emerson Hall 607-255-0420

Development and application of molecular tools for rice improvement

Martha Mutschler-Chu 303 Bradfield Hall 607-255-1660

Pest resistance and use of wild species in tomato and onion

Andre Kessler E445 Corson Hall 607-254-4219

Molecular, chemical ecology; plant-insect and multitrophic interactions; responses to herbivory

Gaurav Moghe 260 Emerson Hall Evolution of plant specialized metabolism, evolutionary genomics, computational biology, metabolic engineering for agriculture and medicine

Robert A. Raguso W355 Seeley G. Mudd Hall 607-254-4353

Reproductive ecology, plant volatile biosynthesis, floral evolution, plant signaling

Timothy Setter 235 Emerson 607-255-1319

Stress response, hormonal and sugar signaling; cell division; reproductive abortion

David Stern 301 Boyce Thompson Institute 607-254-1306

Regulation of plant organelle gene expression by nuclear factors

Olena Vatamaniuk 608 Bradfield Hall 607-255-8049

Heavy metal detoxification; proteome and metabolome responses to heavy metal toxicity

Adam Bogdanove 360 Plant Science (607) 255-7831

Bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak of rice; transcription activator-like (TAL) effector proteins; genome editing and custom gene regulation

Gaurav Moghe 260 Emerson Hall

Evolution of plant specialized metabolism, evolutionary genomics, computational biology, metabolic engineering for agriculture and medicine

William Crepet 412B Mann Library 607-255-4075

Diversity, relationship and evolution of seed and flowering plants

Fay-Wei Li 607-254-1244 121 Boyce Thompson Institute

'Weird' biology -- evolutionary processes at the gene, genome, and microbiome levels that shape plant diversity.

Kevin Nixon 406B Mann Library 607-255-7975

Oak taxonomy; cladistics; computer programs; paleobotany, phylogeny of angiosperms

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The Plant Biology Initiative at Harvard University

Harvard University is home to a wide range of plant biologists, primarily situated in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology  and the research programs of the Arnold Arboretum  and the Harvard Forest . These researchers apply a diverse array of tools and approaches to investigate questions in plant evolution, ecology, physiology, development and molecular biology. Our program takes full advantage of the exceptional resources of Harvard University, which include ~5,000,000 preserved specimens of the Harvard University Herbaria  (HUH), the Botanical Libraries  of the HUH, the living collections of the Arnold Arboretum , the 3500 acre Harvard Forest , and the resources and expertise of the FAS Center for Systems Biology .

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Recent advances in research on phosphate starvation signaling in plants

• María Isabel Puga
• César Poza-Carrión
• Javier Paz-Ares

Contributions of lignification, tissue arrangement patterns, and cross-sectional area to whole-stem mechanical properties in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Mariko Asaoka
• Olivier Hamant

The complete chloroplast genome sequence and phylogenetic relationship analysis of Eomecon chionantha , one species unique to China

• Guoshuai Zhang
• Linfang Huang

Laboratory and field measurements of water relations, photosynthetic parameters, and hydration traits in macrolichens in a tropical lower montane rainforest in Thailand

• Chaiwat Boonpeng
• Marisa Pischom
• Kansri Boonpragob

Chloroplast-actin filaments decide the direction of chloroplast avoidance movement under strong light in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Masamitsu Wada
• Takeshi Higa
• Yoshinobu Mineyuki

Leaf form diversity and evolution: a never-ending story in plant biology

• Hokuto Nakayama

Fine-scale clonal structure of the lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea under the nurse plant Pinus pumila vegetation in an alpine region, Mt. Norikura

• Kensuke Sugimoto
• Inoue Mizuki

What keeps the style under tension? Experimental tests to understand the biomechanics of the explosive style movement in Marantaceae

• Marcus Jerominek
• Regine Claßen-Bockhoff

Morphological, genetic and ecological divergence in near-cryptic bryophyte species widespread in the Holarctic: the Dicranum acutifolium complex (Dicranales) revisited in the Alps

• Thomas Kiebacher
• Péter Szövényi

Phosphate environment and phosphate uptake studies: past and future

• Tetsuro Mimura
• Robert Reid

Reviewing impacts of biotic and abiotic stresses on the regulation of phosphate homeostasis in plants

• Laurent Nussaume
• Satomi Kanno

Tolerance to mild shading levels in cattail as related to increased photosynthesis and changes in its leaf area and anatomy

• Carlos Henrique Goulart dos Reis
• Poliana Noemia da Silva
• Fabricio José Pereira

Effect of robbing intensity on reproductive success of Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae)

• Nurbiye Ehmet
• Tai-Hong Wang
• Qin-Zheng Hou

Synergistic regulation of hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide on biochemical components, exopolysaccharides, and nitrogen metabolism in nickel stressed rice field cyanobacteria

• Garima Singh
• Sheo Mohan Prasad

Involvement of GLR-mediated nitric oxide effects on ROS metabolism in Arabidopsis plants under salt stress

• Azime Gokce
• Askim Hediye Sekmen Cetinel
• Ismail Turkan

Floral pigments and their perception by avian pollinators in three Chilean Puya species

• Takayuki Mizuno
• Shinnosuke Mori
• Tsukasa Iwashina

Potassium transporter OsHAK17 may contribute to saline-alkaline tolerant mechanisms in rice ( Oryza sativa )

• Mami Nampei
• Akihiro Ueda

Relictithismia kimotsukiensis, a new genus and species of Thismiaceae from southern Japan with discussions on its phylogenetic relationship

• Kenji Suetsugu
• Yasunori Nakamura
• Shuichiro Tagane

The interaction between heterochrony and mechanical forces as main driver of floral evolution

• Louis P. Ronse De Craene

From forest to savanna and back to forest: Evolutionary history of the genus Dimorphandra (Fabaceae)

• Vinicius Delgado da Rocha
• Thaís Carolina da Silva Dal’Sasso
• Luiz Orlando de Oliveira

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are synthesized and accumulated in flower of Myosotis scorpioides

• Kyohei Takano
• Hajime Ikeda
• Kojiro Takanashi

Overexpression of thioredoxin-like protein ACHT2 leads to negative feedback control of photosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Yuka Fukushi
• Yuichi Yokochi
• Keisuke Yoshida

Bud development, flower phenology and life history of holoparasitic Rafflesia cantleyi

• Suk Ling Wee
• Shwu Bing Tan
• Bernard Kok Bang Lee

Two lineages of Lemna aequinoctialis (Araceae, Lemnoideae) based on physiology, morphology, and phylogeny

• Takashi Shiga

Floral scents, specialized metabolites and stress-response activities in Heritiera fomes and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza from Sundarban mangrove ecosystem

• Ishita Paul
• Sourav Manna
• Mousumi Poddar Sarkar

Newly found leaf arrangement to reduce self-shading within a crown in Japanese monoaxial tree species

• Hitoshi Aoyagi
• Miyabi Nakabayashi
• Toshihiro Yamada

Morphological and physiological response of amphibious Rotala rotundifolia from emergent to submerged form

• Wangai Zhao

Seasonal and diurnal variations in soil respiration rates at a treeline ecotone and a lower distribution limit of subalpine forests

• Soichiro Takeda
• Naoki Makita
• Koichi Takahashi

Dominance of non-wetland-dependent pollinators in a plant community in a small natural wetland in Shimane, Japan

• Tomohiro Watazu
• Masayoshi K. Hiraiwa
• Tetsuro Hosaka

The PpMYB75- PpDFR module reveals the difference between ‘SR’ and its bud variant ‘RMHC’ in peach red flesh

• Xiaomin Xue

Unreduced spore formation in a spontaneous chimeric pinnule in an artificially produced haploid Anisocampium niponicum (Athyriaceae, Polypodiales)

• Suzue M. Kawakami
• Shogo Kawakami

Role of GARP family transcription factors in the regulatory network for nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition

• Naohiko Ohama
• Shuichi Yanagisawa

Evidence of an active role of resveratrol derivatives in the tolerance of wild grapevines ( Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris ) to salinity

• Faouzia Hanzouli
• Hassène Zemni
• Samia Daldoul

Equisetum praealtum and E. hyemale have abundant Rubisco with a high catalytic turnover rate and low CO 2 affinity

• Sakiko Sugawara
• Yuji Suzuki

Reproductive interference between alien species in Veronica

• Sachiko Nishida
• Naoko Tamakoshi
• Masahiro M. Kanaoka

New Year’s greetings 2024 from the Journal of Plant Research

• Maki Katsuhara

Comparative floral development in Mimosa (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) brings new insights into merism lability in the mimosoid clade

• Bruno Cesar Ferreira Gonçalves
• Vidal de Freitas Mansano
• Juliana Villela Paulino

Reproductive isolation between two sympatric bat-pollinated Bauhinia (Leguminosae)

• Sinzinando Albuquerque-Lima
• Ariadna Valentina Lopes
• Isabel Cristina Machado

Genome-wide identification and characterization of wall-associated kinases, molecular docking and polysaccharide elicitation of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in micro-propagated Catharanthus roseus

• Jawad Ahmed
• Yasar Sajjad
• Amjad Hassan

Drought-adapted leaves are produced even when more water is available in dry tropical forest

• Tamires Soares Yule
• Rosani do Carmo de Oliveira Arruda
• Mauro Guida Santos

Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis of Prunus mume

• Chengcheng Qian

Correction: Impact of mycoheterotrophy on the growth of Gentiana zollingeri (Gentianaceae), as suggested by size variation, morphology, and 13 C abundance of flowering shoots

• Masahide Yamato

Comparative complete chloroplast genome of Geum japonicum : evolution and phylogenetic analysis

• Yujing Miao

Molecular phylogeny of Vincetoxicum (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) from Thailand and integrative taxonomy corroborating a new cryptic species within Vincetoxicum kerrii

• Aroonrat Kidyoo
• Manit Kidyoo
• Rumsaïs Blatrix

A new mathematical model of phyllotaxis to solve the genuine puzzle spiromonostichy

• Takaaki Yonekura
• Munetaka Sugiyama

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National Research Council (US) Committee on Examination of Plant Science Research Programs in the United States. Plant Biology Research and Training for the 21st Century. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992.

Plant Biology Research and Training for the 21st Century.

• Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

4 Recommendations

Individual investigators, small groups of investigators, many of them university based, make up the backbone of American science. It was enlightened support over the past decades of that group of individuals that has given the United States a research and technology enterprise that is the envy of the world. (D. Allan Bromley, Science Advisor to the President, in a speech at the National Academy of Sciences, June 27, 1990)

The members of the Committee on Plant Sciences believe it is time to apply to the plant sciences the lessons learned from the support of biomedical research and training. The committee recommends the establishment of a National Institute of Plant Biology (NIPB) with a comprehensive program that engages all of the federal agencies that support plant biology. NIPB would be organized in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The institute would be based on the principle of competitively awarded basic research and training grants in plant biology and its philosophy and practice would be patterned after the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The term "program" refers to the framework proposed by the committee, including the establishment of, and leadership role to be played by, the institute in USDA; the vital continued commitment and participation of other agencies in support of plant biology research and training in cooperation with NIPB; a study section system; and the kind of support and amount of funding proposed by the committee that are essential to the program's success.

• Management of the Plant-Biology Program

The success of the proposed plant biology program will depend on its meeting the following criteria:

• The program should be dedicated to the study of plant biology as a basic science. It should not be a mission-oriented program aimed at solving specific practical problems.
• The program should encompass a comprehensive system of extramural research and training to include pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, training grants for graduate students, grants for the purchase and upkeep of instrumentation, and financial support for meetings. The system of grants should support the highest quality research in nonprofit institutions.
• The program should be patterned in the detail of its technique and philosophy after NIGMS.
• The program should support high-quality research being done by plant biologists in nonprofit institutions. Communication between plant scientists and researchers in other disciplines should be encouraged.
• The program should provide grants and fellowships in sufficient number and amount of award to attract and retain the best scientists.
• The program should be administered by an agency committed to the above standards.
• Recommendation 1

Because the selection of an agency to lead a coordinated effort to promote plant biology within the federal system is critical, the committee weighed a range of options. Initially, its members focused on identifying a single agency that would have almost exclusive responsibility for the entire program in plant biology. Several options that named a single agency to administer the program were rejected for failure to satisfy a critical scientific, managerial, or political need. The committee eventually concluded that it must define a multiagency effort with one agency taking a decided leadership role. Only in this way could the range of societal and scientific needs in medicine, agriculture, the environment, and energy be addressed.

A National Institute of Plant Biology (NIPB) should be established in USDA under the direct oversight of the assistant secretary of agriculture for science and education. NIPB should be responsible for leading a coordinated federal plant-biology program that intimately involves other federal agencies that support plant-biology research and training.

The recommendation that USDA should be the lead agency to assume broad responsibility for the support of plant sciences (in concert with other agencies) is made with full awareness of the historic mission of, and current practice at, USDA. USDA's mission and the largest part of its funds traditionally have been dedicated to formula support of research in designated land grant schools and in its intramural agricultural stations. The formula funding that served U.S. agriculture successfully for the first half of this century has not provided a mechanism to keep abreast of the spectacular advances in modern biology, and support of training has not been a primary objective of USDA funding. Plant-biology research is a broad endeavor and USDA's agricultural mission is too narrow to encompass all the fundamental plant biology we believe should be included in the program. Political and commercial influence on the department's decisions and a tendency to overmanage the research process (NRC, 1972) have impeded the development of fundamental research programs.

Two major factors led us to recommend USDA to establish NIPB and take leadership of the federal plant biology program. First, the attempts since 1978 to broaden the USDA base of support for basic agricultural research through a program of competitive grants indicates that the almost exclusive concentration on formula grants that characterized USDA is changing. The fiscal year 1992 initiative to enlarge USDA's small program of extramural grants brings a welcome competitive process for research support to a few segments of plant biology related to agriculture. When the initiative is fully funded at $500 million, $125 million is proposed for expenditure on plant biology. Although our recommendation builds on the foundation of the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP), it goes beyond that program in proposing that the plant systems portion become the core of NIPB. In addition, NIPB would lead the coordination of efforts in plant biology sponsored by other agencies.

The second factor influencing our recommendation is that of all the agencies with potential to lead the plant program, USDA's mission encompasses the broadest range of scientific and applied interests; it includes research on plants, forestry, nutrition, rangelands, and the ecological relationships of plants to other biotic and nonbiotic systems. NIH and the Department of Energy (DoE) have been sympathetic in support of several aspects of plant biology, but neither has the breadth of interest in plants to make it a natural home for the new institute.

Implementation of our proposal would require that USDA effect major changes in its philosophy of research, its operational patterns, and its relationship to Congress and the scientific community. It will need to

• Plan beyond the design drawn for NRICGP and its proposed five-year funding strategy.
• Support evolution of NRICGP and its competitive grants program.
• Focus on the support of fundamental plant biology.
• Insulate the new institute from political and commercial pressures.
• Avoid over managing the scientific research process.
• Demonstrate increased leadership in coordinating its work with that of other agencies.
• Develop department-supported training programs and encourage training programs at other agencies.
• Organize study sections that use the expertise of the entire scientific community by reaching outside the government.
• Organize NIPB to ensure its high visibility, stature, and independence within the federal government.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has a scope of interests that overlaps that of USDA and historically has provided more financial support for competitively awarded, investigator-initiated plant-biology research than has USDA. However, we believe that NSF's multitude of other interests would impede its serving as the lead agency for the new program. Should USDA prove unwilling to fulfill the role we have described for it, NSF should be assigned the task of leading the program, for NSF has clearly demonstrated its dedication to the support of fundamental research based on competitively awarded, investigator-initiated grants.

• Recommendation 2

NSF, DoE, NIH, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have provided valuable support for plant biology research, and their continued financial support at increased levels will be required to fulfill the objectives of the USDA-led program. Taken as a group, the agencies have missions that encompass all aspects of a complete plant-biology program, from molecular biology to ecosystem research. NIH and NSF could provide the training grants and fellowships that are essential to the development of a larger number of plant scientists. However, we urge USDA to explore the possibilities of developing training programs of the size we propose. For our plan to succeed, all agencies, including USDA, will need to increase the amount awarded in individual research grants.

All agencies that currently support plant-biology research and training should maintain and increase their commitment in cooperation with NIPB and USDA.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is responsible for coordinating interagency research. It discharges this responsibility increasingly through the formation of Federal Coordinating Councils for Science, Engineering and Technology (FCCSET). Creation of an OSTP FCCSET committee on plant research that is chaired by a USDA official might be an effective means for coordinating the research. It should be noted that FCCSETs often are comprised of department level members who do not manage specific programs directly. On the other hand, for some years an interagency coordinating committee, made up of persons closely affiliated with agency plant-biology programs, has worked well, for example, to organize interagency funding of large-scale centers. It might be advantageous for OSTP to seek ways to make the best use of both a FCCSET and the existing committee in its efforts to coordinate plant-biology research.

If the challenge is successfully met, the establishment of NIPB would be another step in an important progression. The first step was the establishment of USDA's competitive grants program; the second was the expansion of that program under the National Research Initiative. Potentially, other parts of the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, such as the program in animal health, could become institutes as well. Eventually, USDA could follow the model of NIH in the Department of Health and Human Services for support of extramural and intramural research, training, and the infrastructural elements of sciences relevant to its mission.

• Elements of the NIPB Program

NIPB would manage a comprehensive program of support for research, training, facilities, and scientific communications. Awards would be made by unambiguously competitive, peer-reviewed procedures open to all scientists. NIPB would coordinate the existing support from several government agencies, and, with increases in these agencies' existing competitive grants programs, would give the nation the infrastructure for plant biology that it now lacks.

We underscore the pivotal importance of competitive, peer-reviewed procedures. In the 45 years since the beginning of large-scale federal support of science, the strategies used by the various federal agencies to fund scientific research in support of societal goals have constituted an experiment. NIH and NSF have based funding decisions on competitive procedures designed to recognize individual merit; USDA has based funding decisions on institutional, political, and historical considerations that do not preclude but that also do not necessarily reward or reinforce individual merit. The committee concludes that the results of the experiment are clear. The philosophy, mechanisms, and strategy used by NIH and NSF to support basic research and its applications have advanced science of the highest quality, attracted the best young scientists to careers in research and teaching, and provided a stream of discoveries that has been rapid and highly beneficial to society. The success of the NIH and NSF grant programs has engendered their enthusiastic and generous support by Congress and successive administrations.

The projected program of NIPB should include the following program components and management features.

Individual Research Grants

The core of NIPB's program should be competitively awarded, investigator-initiated grants to researchers in any institution of higher education or advanced research. The essential criterion for award of a grant should be scientific merit.

Grants generally should be for a five-year period and have an average total cost per grant of $170,000 per year. This is the same as the average NIGMS grant. There should be adequate provision for institutional overhead and administrative expenses.

Peer review of grant applications should be conducted by study sections of qualified reviewers. The scope of the program should be carefully defined in the course of further study but the following subjects are cited as examples:

• Subcellular processes , including biochemistry, photochemistry, organelle structure and function, gene and chromosome structure, genome organization, mutagenesis and DNA repair, and gene expression and regulation.
• Cellular processes , including developmental biology and developmental genetics, signal transduction, cell-to-cell communication, cell division and growth, photosynthesis, and intercellular transport of water and nutrients.
• Organismal processes , including growth and reproductive biology, structure and function of plant organs, responses to the environment at the supercellular level, and nutrient and water transport in the whole plant.
• Population and species processes , including areas such as ecology, population biology and genetics, systematics, and issues of biodiversity.
• Plant interactions with the biotic and abiotic environment , including nitrogen fixation, interactions with beneficial microorganisms, pathogenesis, the genetics and molecular biology of plant defense and stress responses, and community ecology.

Competitive Postdoctoral Training Awards

The proposed program would support postdoctoral training in basic plant biology, because postdoctoral experience is necessary to complete the training of our most promising researchers. An attractive program will bring additional postdoctoral fellows to plant biology from other predoctoral disciplines.

Awards would be based on review by qualified panels of scientists. Applications would be filed either before or after an applicant's receipt of the Ph.D. degree. The nature of the host laboratories and their location in the United States or abroad would not be restricted.

Predoctoral Training Awards

The proposed program would support training grants similar to those funded by NIH. These would support a number of students, and the grants would be awarded to the institutions' departments. Individual predoctoral fellowships, similar to those sponsored by NSF also would be awarded.

Departmental Training Grants

The program is projected to provide support to build strong departments of plant science and to strengthen the programs of other departments that include plant research and training. By the year 2000 a total of 34, five-year-long departmental grants is proposed (each renewable for five years). Participation by 15 students per program is projected, although the number would vary. To be attractive, the stipends would be comparable to those for other natural sciences. Funds would be provided to the universities to cover tuition, and supply allowances would be granted to the laboratories of the students' supervisors.

Applications for the grants would be submitted by departments, and the competitively awarded grants would provide steady funding for outstanding training programs.

Individual Predoctoral Fellowships

The program would provide individual fellowships to highly qualified predoctoral candidates. Candidates would apply either in the senior year of undergraduate study or in the first year of graduate study.

The program would provide four-year awards, and a total of 1,500 fellows would be supported when the program is fully implemented. Stipends would be competitive with those provided to students in other natural sciences and somewhat above those for departmental awards. Funds would be awarded to the universities for tuition and for supplies in individual laboratories.

A recipient would be allowed to choose a host research laboratory. This would provide additional support to superior programs and would stimulate competition among schools for the participating fellows.

Summer Undergraduate Training

The program would include support of summer undergraduate research. When fully implemented, it would support up to three students in the laboratories of scientists who have been recognized through the award of research grants. By the year 2000, summer research experience would be provided to about 1,500 students.

Career Training and Redevelopment

The program would provide retraining and continuing education for faculty members and facilitate communication among investigators at different institutions. The first component of the program would provide funding for sabbatical leaves for up to one year for 100 persons in the year 2000.

The second component would provide salary for faculty from predominantly teaching institutions or from institutions with few graduate students to work in active research laboratories, generally during the summer. It would support three-month-long summer fellowships for 50 persons each year. Requests for support would be submitted by individuals, and the fellowships would be awarded competitively based on peer review.

Facilities and Equipment

The program would provide support for instrumentation and facilities. Applications would come from departments, and a grant pool of $10 million per year would be awarded competitively. This would provide for individual and shared facilities in departments with competitive plant-biology funding and would provide funds for the purchase of new equipment and facilities and for replacement of obsolete equipment and facilities.

Scientific Communications

The program would help support plant-biology symposia by providing partial funding for travel and subsistence of participants at 20 scientific meetings each year. Other innovative ways to foster reciprocal scientific communication among the plant sciences and other fields should be encouraged. For example, computer networks, data base and germplasm information and materials sharing, and teleconferencing would be supported. Support for expansion of existing journals to include the plant sciences would be considered.

Figure 4 shows the relationships among the components of the program.

Framework of plant-biology research and training program.

• Recommendation 3

The committee's members believe there should be special provision for continuing, independent advice and periodic evaluation.

An independent group of non-government scientists should be formed to provide continuing advice to the USDA assistant secretary for science and education and to the officials of cooperating agencies concerning NIPB's operation and direction and to oversee the parallel efforts by other agencies.

Moreover, after five years an independent group should examine and evaluate the progress of all agencies in implementing the recommendations contained in this report.

It is the usual practice at federal research agencies to form an advisory council. The Independent Advisory Group (IAG) we recommend follows that pattern. The group's first priority would be to give advice on and review the design of an action plan drafted by USDA scientists and policy makers, representatives of the academic research and training community, and the cooperating federal agencies. The action plan would describe the strategy and detail the organization, structure, and schedule for establishing the institute and implementing its program. Thereafter, IAG would serve as a scientific board of advisors to the assistant secretary overseeing progress toward the goals described in the action plan and suggesting corrections and additions to the plan as dictated by events and experience.

At the end of five years, a separately constituted, independent, nongovernment group would review the program's performance comprehensively and recommend changes.

• Cost Elements and Size of the Program

The program described here represents the combined support and efforts of several federal agencies, with NIPB serving as the lead in coordinating the effort. The size and cost recommended for the program are predicated on the following reasoning:

An NSF survey (NSF, 1990b) reported that there are about 4,500 full-time plant-biology faculty in academic departments. Seventy-nine percent of these faculty members (about 3,600) train graduate students. We use training of graduate students as a surrogate determinant for estimating the number of active research faculty. We estimate that 20% of the 3,600 plant biologists would not be part of a grant applicant pool because they already receive support from other sources or because they would not compete well for funding. Thus, the estimated base number of current scientists who would be part of the applicant pool is about 3000.

Over the course of the nine years shown in Table 3 to the year 2000, several considerations described below could increase the numbers in the applicant pool. If our proposed program were implemented and adequate funds were provided, young scientists would be encouraged to enter plant-biology research careers and some active scientists would have an incentive to shift their interest to the study of plant models that often offer advantages over animal or microbial models. The projected training programs would augment the skilled cohort of scientists in the applicant pool. The NSF survey predicts a potential immediate increase in the applicant pool because there are 276 unfilled faculty positions in academic plant-biology programs. Furthermore, departments of biology whose hiring practices have been influenced by considerations of the ''fundability'' of candidates would be encouraged to seek plant biologists to balance their programs. There is evidence from a directly relevant program that the increased availability of funds increases the numbers of applicants. Applications for plant-systems research support received by NRICGP increased from 1,287 in 1990 to 1,793 in 1991.

Number of awards and financial support (in thousands of 1991 dollars) for the plant biology program.

We estimate conservatively that the number in the applicant pool would reach 6,000 by the year 2000. Our suggested program is aimed at providing a success rate (percentage of total applicants that receive awards) of 40%. This would provide for healthy competition and support of appropriate numbers of superior applicants.

About 1,350 awards (individuals could have several awards) currently are made by the agencies and programs listed in Table 2 (see Chapter 2 ). Assuming that the applicant pool is now about 3,000 individuals, the success rate among current applicants is about 40%. For those who are successful in obtaining support, the major issues are the size and duration of grants and the lack of funds to support training, career development, and facilities.

We propose support for training sufficient to encourage students to study plant biology and to create a pool of new plant biologists for academia, the government, and industry. The NSF survey reports that in 1988–1989, there were 7,317 graduate students and about 1,120 postdoctoral fellows in this field. Twenty-one percent of the graduate students and 53% of the postdoctoral fellows were supported by federal research grants; 4% of the graduate students and 7% of the postdoctoral trainees were on federal fellowships. Graduate students also are supported by other sources, including institutions (28%), state governments (15%), and personal funds (11%). Other sources of support for postdoctoral fellows include state governments (11%), foreign governments (7%), and industry (7%). Our projected program would provide for individual fellowships and departmental training grants in addition to the already existing support from other sources, including from research grants. The number of trainees will increase if funding is available, thus reversing a trend of decreasing numbers of graduate students in plant-biology programs.

We believe that several support mechanisms for trainees will be needed to achieve the target of a 50% increase by the year 2000. Funding opportunities for trainees would be increased by larger research grants. The introduction of major training grants would encourage highly qualified trainees to enter the field of plant biology. In the year 2000, such grants could support about 10,500 graduate students and 1,600 postdoctoral fellows. These estimates are based on a projection of 6% annual growth in the number of trainees from the year 1988–1989. Eventually, about 4,250 graduate students would be supported by the combination of departmental training grants (750), individual predoctoral fellowships (1,500), and research grants (2,000). Using the same assumptions, about 1,300 of the 1,600 postdoctoral researchers would be supported by a combination of 500 fellowships and 800 research grants.

Table 3 shows the increasing number of awards from 1992 to 2000 that would fulfill our estimate of minimal needs for research and training support. The 1,500 grants shown for the first year approximate the grants that would be active at that time; approximately 1,300 are now active. The first-year sum encompasses approximately $150 million already in the budgets of the agencies listed in Table 2 . Most of the increment arises from our proposal that the size of grants be increased substantially and that training and other program elements be implemented. Incremental growth in the research grant category as well as in other categories is based on conservative estimates of growth. For example, 10 departments would receive training grants in the first year to support about 15 predoctoral students each. The number of departments with training grants is projected to increase rapidly for the first several years and then level off as the new programs mature.

The progressive increase in the number of awards in the period until the year 2000 shown in Table 3 is the first phase of the program, and it provides a period to test the effectiveness of the program and to adjust it as needed. We anticipate that the program will continue to grow after the year 2000 beyond the figures shown for that year.

We consider that the program presented here constitutes the minimum effort necessary to ensure U.S. leadership in plant-biology research into the next century.

• Cite this Page National Research Council (US) Committee on Examination of Plant Science Research Programs in the United States. Plant Biology Research and Training for the 21st Century. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. 4, Recommendations.
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Research assistant i – plant biology, dr. lena mueller.

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As a Research Assistant I, this position will be supporting the laboratory of Dr. Mueller. The successful candidate will focus on research support related to beneficial plant-microbe interactions, plant molecular biology, and plant physiology, maintaining plant lines, processing samples, and performing various molecular biology techniques under the direct supervision of https://www.salk.edu/scientist/lena-mueller/ The position will be trained in specific techniques and methods in order to execute experiments designed by https://www.salk.edu/scientist/lena-mueller/ .

The research Assistant will be expected to carry out, document, organize, and present experimental results to the research team under close supervision. The candidate must be willing to with plants, fungi, bacteria, and recombinant DNA.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Works on problems of moderate scope in which analysis of situation or data requires the review of identifiable factors.
• Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.
• Normally receives general instruction on routine work, and detailed instructions on new assignments.
• Molecular cloning, genotyping, DNA/RNA extraction, PCR
• Plant and fungus staining and advanced microscopy techniques
• Maintenance of laboratory plants and seed stocks
• Managing the inventory of laboratory supplies.
• Ensuring proper upkeep of laboratory equipment such as shakers, PCR machines, and microscopes.
• Participating in staff meetings and contributing to general problem-solving.
• Preserving a clean and organized environment within the laboratory area.
• Work is performed under direct supervision.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• No professional experience required.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences or related scientific discipline required. A minimum of 2 years of experience in a scientific role is required for consideration of a Bachelor’s degree in a different discipline.
• Computer skills required: Microsoft Office
• Prior experience or internships in a laboratory setting.
• Prior experience with molecular biology, which may be gained from coursework and/or work experience.
• Basic knowledge of laboratory procedures and safety practices.
• Familiarity with specific laboratory techniques or equipment relevant to the Institute’s operations.
• Knowledge of relevant regulations and compliance standards.

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• Integrity – Guides our moral compass and underpins our every action. We do what is right in all situations for no other reason than because it is right. We uphold honesty and ethical behavior and make good on our commitments. We understand that words and deeds matter and that integrity leads to trust.
• Community – Enables us to harness the power of our collective talents. We work together towards common goals. We recognize the importance of diversity where everyone’s ideas, identities, backgrounds, and perspectives are valued and pave the paths that propel us forward. We understand our pioneering role in the broader scientific community and take pride in our efforts to have a positive impact on the world.
• Accountability – Keeps us focused and keeps us honest. We are responsible not only for our own success but the success of our teams and the entire Institute. We consider how the actions we take and the decisions we make in our own work may impact others.
• Respect – Creates the foundation of trust and brings out the best in us all. We value the experiences, identities, and feelings of those we work with, regardless of their position or their relationship to us. We provide feedback in a constructive manner, use appropriate language, and allow others to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of ridicule.
• Empowerment – Amplifies all voices and inspires the pursuit of greatness. We lift each other up, enabling us to grow continuously and live to our fullest potential. We support the expression of ideas, encourage self-advocacy, inspire confidence, and recognize that an environment of mutual respect is critical to our collective success.

COMPETENCIES:

• Cost Consciousness – Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.
• Judgement – Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
• Leadership – Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.
• Oral Communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Organizational Support – Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization’s goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.
• Planning/Organizing – Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Problem Solving – Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Written Communication – Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Quality – Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

The expected pay range for this position is $18.03 to $22.00 per hour.

Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Frequently required to stand.
• Occasionally required to walk.
• Frequently required to sit.
• Continually required to utilize hand and finger dexterity.
• Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl.
• Frequently required to talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to taste or smell.
• Occasionally work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals
• Occasionally exposure to extreme heat or cold (non-weather)
• Occasionally exposure to bloodborne and airborne pathogens or infectious materials
• While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
• The employee must occasionally lift and /or move more than 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision; Distance vision; Depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. All individuals who accept a position with the Salk Institute must be willing to work in an animal-related research environment, must successfully complete the Institute’s background investigation and must be willing to sign a confidentiality agreement.

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion . We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces diverse perspectives and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Synthetic Biology and Science Comedy with Dr. Taylor Szyszka Travelling Science

• Life Sciences

How can we use microbes to improve our world? This is the kind of research that Dr. Taylor Szyszka lives for! Taylor is currently working on improving the process of photosynthesis in order to promote plant growth and improve crop yields, and she is also working on building novel nano-reactors that can do chemistry at a femtoliter scale. You can watch the video version here:  https://youtu.be/MCgfQOgjZkY Dr Taylor Szyszka is a protein engineer and synthetic biologist as well as a passionate science communicator. She has spent her career exploring the fascinating world of proteins and is now using them to build sustainable systems across different disciplines. She is also passionate about STEM education and engagement and has been involved in numerous science communication endeavours from TV to radio to game development and stand up comedy. Dr. Taylor Szyszka is on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/taylorszyszka  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-szyszka-a219a3181/ Taylor's Science Stand-up Comedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1KLc-35N8 New Science Game - Remediate: https://www.coesb.com.au/remediate/ Get guest updates and submit your listener questions via Instagram: https://instagram.com/travellingscience/ During this episode, a donation was made to the Deadly Science Foundation. https://deadlyscience.org.au/ If you'd like to support this podcast and the charities we donate to each week, you can make a contribution here: https://www.patreon.com/thetravellingscientist Thank you for making a positive change in the world! Support the show

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