Plant Biology

Life on earth, as we know it, would be impossible without plants. Plants supply humans with oxygen, food, fiber, fuel, minerals and medicines. Plant biology is the study of how plants grow, develop, respond to environmental signals, defend against pathogens, reproduce, and evolve. Research in plant biology provides critical advances in nutrition, medicine, improvements to the environment, and renewable energy alternatives.

The Plant Biology specialization is directed by faculty in the Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics and is also interdepartmental. This group of faculty studies organisms ranging from single-celled algae to flowering plants employing diverse modern approaches. Most faculty also participate in the Cell & Developmental Biology specialization and/or the Genetics and Genomics specialization.

Graduate Program

The Graduate Program provides training to meet the current and future needs of a global society. Graduate students are given the breadth and skills to become independent scientists who can integrate and apply their knowledge to serve diverse professions. The requirements for both M.S. and Ph.D. students in the Plant Biology specialization are intended to ensure that the students receive a broad background in cell biology and molecular genetics, plus advanced training in a particular research area. The primary aim is for students to develop both the technical research expertise and the critical thinking skills necessary for a rewarding career as an independent scientist. All M.S. and Ph.D. students in Plant Biology follow the first-year program for all entering CBMG graduate students, including core courses, laboratory rotations, and seminars. Then an advisory committee in consultation with the research advisor helps each student choose the advanced courses in plant biology and other disciplines that are appropriate for the student's research plans and career objectives. In addition to formal courses, the program provides opportunities for critical discussion of the scientific literature through seminar courses and journal clubs. Recent graduates in Plant Biology have obtained positions as faculty members in academia and as scientists in universities, industry, and government agencies.

Graduate Courses

For most students, the core requirements plus several advanced courses serve as the primary academic load during the first year of study. The core courses are:

CBMG 688D Cell Biology I (2 cr, 7 wk) - Fall
CBMG 688E Cell Biology II (2 cr, 7 wk) - Fall
CBMG 688F Genetics I (2 cr, 7 wk) - Spring
CBMG 688I Genetics II (2 cr, 7 wk) - Spring
CBMG 688C Research Experiences (2 cr) - Spring
CBMG 688P. Adv Plant Dev & Physiol I. Development, molecular genetics (F)
CBMG 688R. Adv Plant Dev & Physiol II. Transport, hormone & stress signaling (Sp)
CBMG 699Y Plant Biology Journal Club (F & Sp)
CBMG688N Bioinformatics
CBMG688W Principles of Microscopy

Faculty participating in the Plant Biology specialization

Caren Chang, Associate Chair and Associate Professor
Ph.D. California Institute of Technology, 1988.  Signal transduction and hormonal signaling in Arabidopsis.
Todd Cooke, Professor
Ph.D. Cornell University, 1979.  Plant morphogenesis; development processes in lower vascular plants; origins of biological form. Evolution of developmental mechanisms.
James Culver, Adjunct Associate Professor, Center for Biosystems Research, UMBI
Ph.D. University of California, Riverside 1991. Molecular plant-virus interactions; virion assembly, replication, and long-distance movement of tobacco mosaic virus.
Charles Delwiche, Associate Professor
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990. Molecular systematics, phylogeny, and evolution of chloroplasts.
June Kwak, Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Pohang University of Science and Technology, 1997.  Arabidopsis, abscisic acid signaling.
Zhongchi Liu, Associate Professor
Ph.D. Harvard University, 1990.  Flower development in Arabidopsis. Reproductive development in higher plants.
Stephen Mount, Associate Professor
Ph.D. Yale University, 1983.  Arabidopsis, selection of splice sites in pre-mRNA splicing
Anne Simon, Professor
Ph.D. Indiana University, 1983. Molecular biology of plant-virus interactions
Heven Sze, Professor
Ph.D. Purdue University, 1975.  Membrane structure, function, and biogenesis; regulation of solute transport; bioenergetics; proton and calcium-pumping ATPases in plants
Stephen Wolniak, Professor
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, 1979.  Cell motility and gametogenesis. Mechanisms involved in cell fate determination.
Shunyuan Xiao, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Center for Biosystems Research, UMBI
Ph.D Plant Genetics, Huazhong Agricultural University, China 1992. Cellular and molecular bases of plant defense. UMBI at Shady Grove.

Other departments participating in the specialization*

Plant Science (PSLA)
Priscila Chaverri, Biodiversity, systematics, molecular phylogenetics, evolution of fungi
Gary Coleman, Functional genomics of forest tree development
Jose Costa, Breeding & Biotechnology
Maile Neel, Biodiversity and conservation
Joseph Sullivan, Plant ecophysiology
Chris Walsh, Fruit tree physiology, food safety
Jianhua Zhu, Abiotic stress, epigenetics, miRNA

Biology
Charles Fenster, plant evolution

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Ganesh Sriram, Arabidopsis systems biology, metabolite flux

*Requirements may differ for students in other departments.