Faculty Members in Molecular Genetics

Name Research abstract
George Haughn

Plant Developmental Genetics. Molecular genetics of seed coat development in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Jennifer Klenz

Molecular Biology, Teaching & Learning
Ljerka Kunst

Molecular genetic and biochemical studies of seed lipid and epicuticular wax metabolism and their regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Jae-Hyeok Lee


Life cycle transitions of sexual eukaryote; Molecular mechanisms of nutrient sensing in phototrophic eukaryotes; Ubiquitin-dependent mechansism for chloroplast quality control; Evolution of developmental/epigenetic mechanisms; Macroevolutionary transitions from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and from green algae to land plants; Mitigating climate change by engineering algae for efficient carbon capture and biofuel production.
Xin Li

Utilizing a combination of molecular genetics, biochemical and genomics approaches to understand the natural resistance mechanisms of plants against microbial pathogens including fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
Loren Rieseberg

Speciation, domestication, conservation biology, and weed evolution.
Abel Rosado

Characterization of ER-PM contact site components involved in plant stress tolerance
Lacey Samuels

Plant cell biology, cellular basis of secretion of plant cell wall components; lignification in xylem development; ABC transporters and cuticle secretion
Liang Song

plant genomics, environmental stresses, seed development, gene expression
Geoffrey Wasteneys

Plant Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics; organization of the cytoskeleton and its role in cell wall formation, intracellular motility and growth anisotropy in the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the characean algae; plant responses to abiotic and endogenous signals.
Yuelin Zhang

We are interested in how local resistance and systemic acquired resistance are regulated in plants.